In celebration of International Women's Day, the Concordia Department of Recreation and Athletics is pleased to announce Erica Porter, a former captain with the Stingers women's hockey program, has been selected for the 2021-22 U Sports Female Apprentice Coach Program.
Porter will begin her U Sports apprenticeship on April 1 and will be mentored by Concordia coaches Caroline Ouellette and Julie Chu.
Originally from Coaticook, Que., the talented forward played five years with the Stingers (2011-16). A respected leader, she served as athletics valedictorian at the awards banquet in her final season. Porter was an academic all-Canadian in each of her five years. She completed a BSc Athletic Therapy in 2015 and a MSc in the same program in 2017.
After graduation she worked at Champlain College, Lennoxville, taking on several different responsibilities, including assistant coach, athletic therapist and interim athletic director.
In 2019, she returned to Concordia to work in the university where she is currently a senior recruitment officer.
The U Sports program, now in its second year, aims to increase the number of females in coaching positions across Canadian universities by matching apprentice coaches, who have recently graduated, with a head coach in one of its sports.
A total of 46 applications were received for the 2021-22 edition of the program, nearly double from previous campaign, with 18 apprentice coaches selected.
All participants will be members of the coaching staffs at their respective schools and where possible, will provide feedback to colleagues as well as student-athletes, while taking part in team activities.
Each apprentice coach will also attend at least one National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), with the option to also take additional professional development courses and seminars in the field of coaching.
