Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) congratulates the coaches who have achieved their Performance Coach certification in 2024, as well as those who have completed the Advanced Coaching Diploma through the Canadian Sport Institute. Their dedication, passion for rowing, and commitment to advancing their knowledge and experience are invaluable to the athletes and rowing communities they support.

Performance Coach Certification Recipients:

• Pascal Ferraro – Calgary Rowing Club
• Miki Chantler – Victoria City Rowing Club
• Connor Elsdon-McLeod – Argonaut Rowing Club
• Iain Wilson – Havergal College
• Nicole Borges – Don Rowing Club
• Michael Braithwaite – University of Toronto Rowing Club
• Matthew Hagopian – Peterborough Rowing Club

Advanced Coaching Diploma Recipient:

• Zak Lewis – Ottawa Rowing Club
• Katie Bahain-Steenman – Rowing Canada Aviron

These coaches have demonstrated strong commitment to their professional development, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to enhance the performance and experiences of their athletes.

Reflecting on her journey through the Performance Coach pathway, Miki Chantler shared, “Going through the Performance Coach pathway, I was honoured to work with highly skilled and successful coaches who generously shared their knowledge. The on-water evaluations, though initially stressful, became the greatest asset of the pathway, giving me the chance to perform at my best in my own environment and truly showcase my skills.”

These achievements would not be possible without the dedicated Coach Developers who support coaches through workshop delivery, mentoring, and evaluation. Roger Meager, NCCP Coach Evaluator, emphasizes the value of mentorship within the coaching pathway.

“Coach Developers have a crucial opportunity to tell stories, share ideas, and be a point of reflection that is intrinsic to an enriched coach pathway,” Roger shared. “This pathway is then augmented by weaving the mentee into Coach Developers’ networks, allowing them to enhance their practice in new and exciting ways through those connections.”

Roger goes on to share how a rich history of mentorship and knowledge-sharing has shaped the development of coaching in rowing, fostering a culture where experience is passed down and expanded upon through generations. “All Coach Developers are fortunate to stand on the shoulders of the coaches who preceded them, to those who directly supported them. The NCCP Coaching Pathway is pivotal in ensuring that the shared knowledge and experience nurtured over the years remains open and available to the next generation of rowing coaches.”

Congratulations once again to all the certified coaches of 2024.

Learn more about the RCA Performance Coach Pathway HERE.