Mentor Program
Time Frame
- August 31: Applications closed (the Mentor Program is only open to members who have applied)
- September 6: Participants will be emailed (prior to 5:30pm ET) their Mentor Group Trio Assignments & additional program details. Check spam/junk folder if you do not receive this email in your inbox. Email events@wecoachsports.org with issues.
Monthly Meet-Ups
Participants are expected to make every attempt to attend all Mentor Program scheduled meetings. We certainly understand conflicts with personal/family obligations, team practices/competitions, team & recruiting travel, etc. will arise. Please communicate conflicts with your Trios in advance.
- September 20: First Monthly Mentor Program Meet-Up
- 12:15 – 1:30pm ET/9:15 – 10:30am PT
- Mentor Program Orientation Q&A
- Featured speaker Betsy Butterick, The Coaches’ Coach & Communication Specialist (Effectively Coaching Gen Z)
- October 20: A Coaches Timeout: Education Around Mental Health Support for You and Your Team
- 12:30-1:30pm ET/9:30-10:30a PT
- Megan Hankins-Maldonado, The R.E.C. Center
- November 16: Virtual Happy Hour Session
- 5:30-6:30pm ET/2:30-3:30pm PT
- December 7: Dressing the Part and Embodying Your Personal Brand
- 12:30-1:30pm ET/9:30-10:30am PT
- Angie Roberts, Amazing Gray Personal Styling
- January 24: Ask Me Anything
- 12:30-1:30pm ET/9:30-10:30am PT
- Molly Grisham, mollygrisham.com
- February 15: I See You: Coaching Through an Inclusive Lens
- 12:30-1:30pm ET/9:30-10:30am PT
- Dr. Karen Kassebaum, Hudl’s Senior Manager of Diversity & Corporate Social Responsibility
- March 20: Celebrating Powerful Women Coaches During Women’s History Month!
- 2:00-3:00pm ET/11:00am-12:00pm PT
- Featuring Coaches Yolanda Bronston, Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach at St. Johns Country Day School & Dani Busboom Kelly, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at University of Louisville
- April 12: Preparing for Success As Your Careers Progress
- 12:30-1:30pm ET/9:30-10:30am PT
- Helen Williams, HMW Sports, LLC
- Mid – April 2023: Participant surveys & conclusion of program
Facilitators:
- Elizabeth King, WeCOACH Board Member & Managing Partner of Elizabeth M. King Consulting, LLC
- Dr. Ingrid Wicker McCree, Ed.D., CEO WM Leadership & Legacy Coaching, Retired AD NCCU & former head coach
- Laura-Ann (LA) Lane, Nichols College Head Field Hockey Coach (WCA Class #14 & Academy 2.0 Class #3)
Overview
WeCOACH offers the first of its kind, unique mentoring trios for coaches in all sports, levels, and years of experience. Research shows us that women coaches who have been coaching between 7-10 years are at a pivotal point in their career and statistically leave the profession at the highest rate. To best support coaches at this point in their career, they are the central figure in each trio, serving as both mentor and mentee.
Now in it’s fifth year, this annual development program aims to provide connections, networking and learning across sports. We remain committed to keeping women in coaching by creating trios to best serve each level of coach, while fostering growth for each individual across experience levels.
Mentoring Matters. This is what you can expect when you are a committed participant in the mentor program:
- Experience enhanced job satisfaction.
- Develop better critical thinking skills by addressing challenges at all levels.
- Grow your professional network across various sports and levels.
- Be exposed to new and relevant ideas as well as reinforce successful, current practices.
- Share leadership and management methods.
- Empower future generations of coaches by creating a culture of empathy, positivity, and respect.
- Share the importance of networking and mentoring as a channel for professional advancement.
- Be the catalyst for advancing the mission and values of WeCOACH; generating collaborative and inclusive culture amongst members.
Program Description
The WeCOACH Mentor Program requires a commitment to your own self-investment, discovery and development, as well as a commitment to the other two coaches in your trio. You will get out of this program what you put into it. Your group members are counting on you to make this a priority in your schedule for the duration of the 8-month program.
- Our one-of-a-kind mentorship model features “Trios,” three levels of mentor/mentee group dynamics based on level of experience:
- GOLD MENTOR (10 years coaching experience, with at least five (5) years as a head coach),
- SILVER MENTOR/MENTEE (5-10 years coaching experience)
- BRONZE MENTEE (less than 5 years coaching experience)
- Trio assignments focus on harnessing the power, depth and richness generated by integrating & engaging coaches from all sports & levels so unless otherwise specified in the application, participants will not necessarily be grouped with coaches of the same sport and level. Participants are assigned to trios based on a variety of considerations: coaching experience (Gold, Silver, Bronze), sport(s) coached, working title (head, assistant, admin, other,) sport level (youth, high school, collegiate, professional, other, etc.) and time zones/regions.
- Trios will receive monthly discussion prompts to help in guiding your monthly meetings.
- Participants must commit to making every effort to attend all scheduled Mentor Program Monthly Meet-Ups and Monthly Trio Meetings. We certainly understand conflicts with personal/family obligations, team practices/competitions, team & recruiting travel, etc. will arise. Please communicate conflicts with your Trio members in advance.
Mentor/Mentee Eligibility and Requirements
GOLD MENTOR
To apply to serve as a Gold Level Mentor, members must:
- Be a current member (or become a member) of WeCOACH
- Have a minimum of ten (10) years of coaching experience, with at least five (5) years as a head coach, or equivalent sport/organizational leadership roles
- Agree to an 8-month commitment to the program
- Commit to meeting virtually or via phone at a minimum of one time a month with trio group members
- Be willing to provide support and communicate with trio group members between meetings
- Complete assessments (before, during, after) to provide feedback for WeCOACH to continually improve the program
SILVER MENTOR/MENTEE
To apply to serve as a Silver Level Mentor/Mentee, members must:
- Be a current member (or become a member) of WeCOACH
- Have more than five (5) but less than ten (10) years of coaching experience (head, associate or assistant)
- Agree to an 8-month commitment to the program
- Commit to meeting virtually or via phone at a minimum of one time a month with trio group members
- Be willing to provide support and communicate with trio group members between meetings
- Serve as a liaison between gold and bronze mentor group members by planning, participating in and facilitating group communications
- Complete assessments (before, during, after) to provide feedback for WeCOACH to continually improve the program
BRONZE MENTEE
To apply to serve as a Bronze Level Mentee, members must:
- Be a current member (or become a member) of WeCOACH
- Have less than five (5) years of experience cumulative as a head, associate or assistant coach, including as a GA, student assistant or Volunteer Coach
- Agree to an 8-month commitment to the mentor program
- Commit to meeting virtually or via phone at a minimum of one time a month with trio group members
- Be willing to provide support and communicate with trio group members between meetings
- Complete assessments (before, during, after) to provide feedback for WeCOACH to continually improve the program
2020-21 Participant Demographics
NCAA II: 10
NCAA III: 20
NAIA: 1
High School/Youth/Club: 13
Association/Organization: 2
Other: 2
Associate Coach: 2
Assistant Coach: 42
Volunteer Assistant Coach: 1
Directors of Operation: 2
Strength Coaches: 2
Administration: 2
Other: 5