VNS's Premiere Female Coach Mentorship Program:

She CAN Coach
 

She Can Coach is proud to be returning for 2026 and is a Coach Mentorship program prioritized by VNS to increase the number of females in leadership roles within the sport of volleyball in Nova Scotia. This program has been designed to prioritize coaches from under represented communities, as well as coaches who live in all geographic regions in Nova Scotia.

The program will include:

1. Connecting the mentee coaches with 9 female champions of women in sport, to create a network of support, guidance, and knowledge.
2. Pairing mentee coaches with a specific Champion for more frequent support and guidance during their Winter 2026 coaching journey.
3. Ongoing monthly meet ups (online) which will include some professional development, as well as an opportunity to share experiences and have conversations around coaching in a supported environment.
4. Financial credits for furthering their Coach Education.

Who is this program for?

• Coaches who identify as female or non-binary.
• Coaches born in 2007 or earlier, there is no age cap - coaches of all ages welcome and encouraged!
• Coaches who are
  • shifting (or have recently shifted) from an athlete role priority to a coach role priority
  • newer to coaching (any role)
  • hoping to shift from Assistant Coach Roles into Head Coach Roles
  • coming back to the sport after some time away, and looking for some support.
  • looking for some support from an experienced group of coach mentors
  • If you're not sure if this program is for you (it is!!), please reach out to Program Lead, TD Megan Conroy vnsmegan@sportnovascotia.ca
• Coaches who are actively coaching with a team (in any role) from January 2026 - June 2026
  - We could help support you to find a team if needed.
• Coaches who reflect the diverse populations of Nova Scotia with respect to age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, ability, sexual orientation, education and culture. 
• Coaches from any region of Nova Scotia (priority will be considered for coaches from a variety of geographic locations).

 The expected commitment:

• January 2026 - June 2026
• Actively coaching a club team / community team for Winter 2026
• Bi-weekly check-ins with your Champion Coach (text/email/phone call/etc.)
• Your club will be expected to contribute $150 toward your participation in the program (you also receive $175 in Coach Education Credit for participating in this program).
• Monthly large group Meet Ups:
  - January 11th, 2025 - In Person, Sport Nova Scotia + Sexton Gym @ Dalhousie, Halifax, NS - all costs covered to attend - TopicsTBD
  - February 25th - 8:30-9:30pm - Online - Topic TBD
  - March 25th - 8:30-9:30pm - Online - Topic TBD
  - April 22nd- 8:30-9:30pm - Online - Topic TBD
  - June 3rd - 8:30-9:30pm - Online - Program Wrap Up

Female Champions of She CAN Coach:

• Jamie Brown, Megan Conroy, Trudy Delorey, Julie Gow, Hillary Hommy, Hilary Sears, Lauren Sears, Allison Saunders & Shaniya Vance.

Application Details:

• Complete the Expression of Interest Application form (HERE) by 11:59pm, December 7th, 2025.
• A short zoom interview (10 minutes) will be scheduled between Dec. 8th and Dec. 19th, 2025.
• There is space for 11-13 Mentee Coaches.
• Coaches will be admitted into the program on a first come, first serve basis - with priority given to coaches of racialized and/or marginalized communities, as well as a diverse geographic representation.
  • We actively encourage applications from persons of diverse backgrounds who identify as women, Indigenous (First Nations, Metis, and Inuit) peoples, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, members of the Black and/or African Nova Scotian communities, Newcomers, as well anyone from all other racialized communities. Self-identification by candidates is voluntary, and those wishing to self-identify are encouraged to do so in Question 3.
• ​All applicants will receive notification of their application status by end of day Monday, December 22nd. Some applicants may be waitlisted.

 

If you have any questions, please contact VNS Technical Director, and Program Lead, Megan Conroy at vnsmegan@sportnovascotia.ca.