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L1O, Canada Soccer announce 52-player women’s coaching licence program

By League1 Ontario, 04/12/21, 9:45AM EDT

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Woodbridge Strikers midfielder Cat Rogers – a three-time L1O all-star – is one of 52 Womens Division players set to take on a Canada Soccer "C" License Course. (Martin Bazyl/League1 Ontario)

Woodbridge Strikers midfielder Cat Rogers – a three-time L1O all-star – is one of 52 Womens Division players set to take on a Canada Soccer "C" License Course. (Martin Bazyl/League1 Ontario)

Toronto, ON (April 12, 2021) - League1 Ontario is pleased to partner with Canada Soccer to provide 52 of our Women’s Division players the opportunity to enroll in a unique, entirely female-led Canada Soccer C Licence program, beginning in early May 2021.

Canada Soccer has appointed four female Coach Developers to lead the players through this licensing program, which will be conducted entirely online, in respect of COVID-19 restrictions. Each participant will be taking Respect in Sport – Activity Leader, Make Ethical Decisions, and Making Headway modules to meet the Soccer Safe Sport requirements for the Canada Soccer Coach Education Licence Program.

The Canada Soccer C Licence is the first step on the Coach Education Licence Program pathway and prepares the coach to progress to the Development Stream (Children), Development Stream (Youth) or Performance Stream (Senior). The C Licence involves the facilitation of learning opportunities for the coach to develop an understanding of the coaching process.

All participants who have accepted a place in this course have agreed to contribute 40 coaching hours to their League1 Ontario club or a community club in their home community.

The League1 Ontario Women’s Player Advisory Group set a target of ensuring that 25% of the participants in this program identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) and we are pleased to confirm that this goal was achieved.

This initiative was conceived by former Women’s Division Commissioner, Carmelina Moscato, and members of the Women’s Player Advisory Group. Together, they organized a fundraising initiative (#ELEVATE campaign) and launched the www.wsoccer.ca website to help create awareness for the need to attract more women to coaching. Moscato also successfully applied for a 2020 OLY Canada Legacy Grant that provided additional funding for this important initiative.

“This grant will contribute to more women entering the coaching stream and in turn connecting to players in grassroots, youth and even senior team environments eventually. Our society is craving more female leaders and our sport and platform is an excellent way to continue contributions to moving the needle,” said Moscato.

Women currently make up only 19% of Canada’s total licensed coaching pool (2019 FIFA Women’s Football Member Association Survey Report).

“The overwhelming interest among our Women’s Division players demonstrates the need and interest for more coaching programs for females in Ontario,” said Julie Maheu, Operations Manager, League1 Ontario. “Ongoing initiatives like this are a priority as we continue to expand and grow soccer opportunities for women in Ontario, we are excited to get started.”

The following 52 women are participating in this program

Alliance United
Melissa Lamanna
Vanessa Pasqualitto
Meghan Reynolds
Aurora Football Club
Yasmeen Al-Kas
Bryanna Caldwell
Carley Uddenberg
Cloey Uddenberg

Darby Football Club
Kyra Barton
Tori Chia
Violet Hipkin
Amanda Kraft
Cailee Long
Eilidh Major
Alexis Wilson
Mykaela Volpe

DeRo United FC
Shannen Jainudeen

Guelph Union
Santana Fereira
Sami Falkenstein
Victoria Hinchliffe
Alyssa Hodgson
AC Lang
Sayan Ladhan

Hamilton United
Ignacia Jimenez
Chiara Lancia
Andrea Petrina
Rosaly Petriello
Noor Sakran

North Mississauga
Laura Callender

Oakville Blue Devils
Hilda Chmait
Erin Cliffe
Elisa Lapadula
Nicole Mailloux
Rachel Melhado
Rana Hamdy
Keira Kent
Emily Porteous
Laura Twidle

Pickering FC
Brittney Lawrence
Kalifornia Mitchell
Geneva Winterink

Vaughan SC
Colleen Beesley
Courtney Davis
Courtney Douglas
Danitza Indacochea
Haley Walsh

Waterloo United
Alexa Cimermancic

Woodbridge SC
Christabel Oduro
Jessica Lisi
Ashley Osorio
Cat Rogers
Chrissie White
Sarah-Anisha Vanwart Bradbury