Ottawa Sport Council is awarded the Tennis Canada National Bank Game.Set.Equity Community Tennis Grant for the initiative called – She’s an ACE – Accelerate Coaching Equity for Females in Tennis
We encourage all community tennis clubs to nominate a female player in their community to participate in this initiative. We also are encouraging clubs to champion their nominee with a sponsorship/fundraiser to cover the cost of the OTA Level 1 certification. All other program resources, curriculum and training will be covered by the Game.Set.Equity grant. The Ottawa Sport Council will support the clubs with sponsorship marketing, administration, fundraising event development and set the foundation to remove barriers for clubs to champion this initiative. For more information and to be included in the details on the She’s an ACE initiative email Frances Mercer – [email protected]
Initiative Description
Ottawa Sport Council (OSC) initiative is called She’s an ACE – Accelerate Coaching Equity for Females in Tennis. The OSC will partner with the 25 community tennis clubs to inspire and encourage females who are ready to advance their passion for tennis and become certified Tennis Instructors. This initiative would aim to certify 5 or more new female coaches through the professional certification pathway of the OTA coaching certification program. The OSC will take the lead on creating the development and execution of the She’s an ACE initiative and provide all tennis clubs and associations with marketing, social media content, registration and communications support so operational barriers for clubs administrators and operators are removed. We are thrilled to announce that Tennis Centre West Ottawa has offered their club location as the official host of this impactful initiative with use of courts and off-court training facilities. With the support of Tennis Centre West Ottawa, National Capital Tennis Association, community tennis clubs and the Ottawa Sport Council we will develop a strong cohort of equity champions and female tennis leaders. She’s an ACE initiative will build significant momentum to the City of Ottawa in breaking the bias for women and girls who lead, challenge, and inspire both on and off the court.
She’s an ACE initiative curriculum was designed to develop more female tennis coaches in the Ottawa community tennis clubs and associations. This curriculum will also bring together leaders from the tennis clubs Board of Directors, club leaders, current coaches, volunteers and staff to learn more about retaining girls in sport and physical activity and by doing so creating stronger, more active and invested tennis clubs and in the communities they serve.
- Safe Sport Training with Coaching Association of Canada and is aligned with the UCCMS
- Certification of CPR and Emergency First Aid in person group format, valid for 3 years
- Ontario Tennis Association Tennis Level 1 Instructor Course
- Facilitate for participating community tennis clubs, current and new coaches the Canadian Women & Sport workshop Retaining Girls in Sport & Physical Activity
- Graduation celebration for all participants of the She’s an ACE initiative at TCWO where the new coaches are matched with a group of girls for a free community Try Tennis event with a social afterwards to celebrate this huge achievement for the coaches, their families and tennis in the Ottawa community
Goals of the Program
She’s an ACE – Accelerate Coaching Equity for Females in Tennis initiative will develop and increase female leaders in the Ottawa tennis community. The overall objective is to remove as many barriers as possible for women and girls in tennis, to build confidence in their strengths and skills, inspiring their contribution as role models and leaders to create more equitable environments where women and girls never have to question if they belong.
Below is a detailed outline of how the She’s an ACE initiative will achieve and reach the identified goals:
In partnership with 25 Ottawa community tennis clubs, a specific curriculum will be offered to advance women and girls’ passion for tennis into a professional coaching capacity. Each club will engage within their direct membership to apply to become a certified Tennis Instructor through this initiative.
The goal is to certify 5 or more new female tennis instructors in Ottawa who will increase the representation of female coaches from almost zero to every club having a female tennis coach available within their community.
Studies show that 63% of girls ages 6-16 and 43% of women ages 17-26 are participating in sport. It was recognized that almost half of girls are interested in leadership roles and careers in the sport and physical activity sector which makes this initiative achievable and relevant.
With the support of Tennis Centre West Ottawa, She’s an ACE initiative will be successful in meeting the accelerated goal of 5 or more new female tennis coaches in Ottawa by the end of 2025. With 6 indoor clay courts the curriculum and training schedule will not be affected by weather. With the OSC leading the operations and coordination of the program, logistical and operational barriers for the volunteer driven community tennis clubs are removed.