Education, Evaluation, Exposure
The 7th 2023 Coach Mom Showcase was held this year at Centennial College in Scarborough. This showcase is far more engaging than any others I’ve attended.
Hosted by the founder Sharon Butler, this 2 day showcase provided student athletes and parents opportunity to many insightful knowledge and support.
Day one provided students athletes and parents opportunities to learn, play, compete and connect.
The info session/ workshops included mindful and fun tools that sports parents can used to help support their kids.
Another important session focused on mental wellness and mental health presented by a licensed Samantha Frederick a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist. The session allowed participants to discuss, share and connect within a supportive environment.
Specifically for the athletes, a calming session lead by Olecia Obarianyk introduced many of the student athletes to yoga and importance of stretching and mindfulness.
As always, the camp allowed all the athlete to participated in 5 stations of training circuits lead by certified coaches and trainers.
Each day started with mentorship, words of wisdom and testimonial stories from professional athletes. As they shared their story and journey, each of the athletes was able to ask questions and connect with each presenter as well as their teammates.
For the exposure component, there were several recruiters in attendance both in person and virtually.
The second day provided a candid conversation hosted by Sharon as she shared her journey to starting Coach Mom as well as the services she provides.
Below are key takeaways from this showcase presented to the athletes.
- 2 important words athletes keep in mind _ Purpose and Intent Use your voice to face adversity. This will help build resilience
- Have structure in what you’re doing
- Being a student athlete is a privilege
- 10% of Canadian student athletes make it to D1 schools in the U.S.
Below are key takeaways from this showcase presented to the parents.
When inquiring about Prep schools or colleges in U.S.
- Is your curriculum cleared by the NCAA?
- Is the school authorized to be I20 Visa for Canadian students?
- Are the teachers qualified or certified?
- Coaches primarily recruit from prep schools
- Note that freshmen (first yr students) are rarely ready to play so be prepared to sit out
- NCAA only recruits for D1 and D2
- Profile on NCAA sites are only looked at once student is in grade 9
- SAT and ACT tests may not be required by NCAA anymore, but note that certain schools still required them
- 5th year students are often used to get physically ready.
- If you take academic route while in High School, you are set for NCAA eligibility
I highly recommend this event for all sports families because it provides a holistic perspective and support to each student athlete as well as parent.
I look forward to next year and continuing to share information and resources to helping our student athletes.
To connect with me or inquire about coverage of events, tournaments or programs click here.
Let’s continue to Support Cheer Unite
