Previous WISE Fund Winners
Congratulations to our 2019 WISE Fund Recipients!
Read on to learn more about these 10 change-makers and their projects.
Anneke Winegarden
Sport: Cross Country
Supported by: Cross Country Canada
Location: Ontario (Ottawa)
Anneke Winegarden is currently in the process of completing her Advanced Coaching Diploma and her Master’s thesis, where she is studying the how the menstrual cycle influences adaptation to athlete training programs. Her goal is to work as a top-level coach with Canadian endurance athletes, specializing in the application of sport science to help them reach international success. Anneke is an advocate for women in sport, and believes specific training strategies are needed for coaches who work with women to increase their success and the length of their sport careers. The WISE Fund will help Anneke complete her ACD, improving coaching and program delivery for women endurance athletes.
Ashley Cumming
Sport: Figure Skating
Supported by: Skate Canada
Location: Ontario (Fort Frances)
Ashley Cumming is a dedicated skating coach from Fort Frances, Ontario who is devoted to developing and enhancing the training structure for her figure skaters. She believes that having women in leadership positions creates an inclusive and dynamic environment that empowers young girls to become future leaders. Ashley’s goal is to complete the full Provincial Level NCCP Skate Canada coaching certification, which will allow her to take athletes to provincial level events and encourage them to become active for life. The WISE fund will help Ashley to upgrade her coaching qualifications from a Regional level to a Provincial level coach.
BC Wheelchair Basketball Society
Sport: Basketball
Supported by: Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Location: British Columbia (Vancouver)
The BC Wheelchair Basketball Society has noticed a downward trend in girls’ participation in their programming. They believe by increasing mentorship opportunities for girls and young women, their participation rates will go up. Their upcoming Breakers Festival will bring women and girls together from across the country to teach and develop the sport of wheelchair basketball. By generating awareness around adaptation in sport, they have created an inclusive environment for both able-bodied athletes and athletes with disabilities to participate. The WISE fund will help the BC Wheelchair Basketball Society to engage more women and girls in their festival, enabling them to provide opportunities for girls with disabilities to gain confidence and be physically active in a group setting.
Coach New Brunswick
Sport: Coaching
Supported by: Coaching Association of Canada
Location: New Brunswick (Fredericton)
Coach New Brunswick is an organization dedicated to providing professional development, learning, and coaching opportunities for their community. They recognize the importance of empowering women to become strong role models and leaders within sport. Their programing is geared toward up-and-coming women coaches, allowing them to also gather best practices around mentorship. Coach New Brunswick wants to create a Women in Coaching Mentorship Network to help guide the planning and development of a long-term network and mentorship strategy. The WISE Fund will directly impact the quality of coaching in New Brunswick, allowing women to gain the knowledge and experience to become strong leaders in their communities.
Emma DeLory
Sport: Rugby
Supported by: Rugby Canada
Location: Nova Scotia (Halifax)
Emma DeLory is the newly appointed Rugby Development Officer (RDO) for Nova Scotia. She is the first RDO for the province and is the Head Coach of the Provincial U16 women’s team. Emma is currently the only woman in Nova Scotia to hold ‘certified’ status for the Competition Introduction/World Rugby L2, and the only woman to have ‘training’ status as a Learning Facilitator and Coach Evaluator. Emma wants to become the first Rugby 7s specialist coach in the Maritimes and become a resource for other 7s coaches by offering workshops and World Rugby L1 courses. Emma hopes to inspire young girls in sport and act as a role model for women in leadership roles. The WISE Fund will help to subsidize Emma’s travel and accommodation costs for out-of-province training courses.
ETBA (Educate.Train.Believe.Achieve)
Sport: Basketball
Supported by: Canada Basketball
Location: Ontario (Scarborough)
ETBA seeks to inspire girls and women to pursue leadership roles and instill the belief that they can be successful at all levels of their sport career. ETBA’s initiative seeks to engage women in roles of administration, advocacy and coaching within the sport organization. The WISE Fund will lower cost of entry and transportation fees to basketball tournaments and games to encourage more women to participate, particularly women from low-income communities. ETBA will provide leadership and networking opportunities for girls through workshops and conferences. Through this initiative they hope to develop positive role models for the next generation of girls in sport.
Holly R H Jones
Sport: Cross Country Skiing
Supported by: Cross Country Canada
Location: Northwest Territories (Inuvik)
Holly Jones is a cross country skier from the remote city of Inuvik who wants to engage young girls by leading and instructing teenage and adolescent skiers. Holly is dedicated to supporting the growth of women and girls as both a peer and as a mentor, and is eager to attend the National Coaching Certification Program’s Train-to-Train (CCI-T2T) workshop in Whistler, BC in 2019. With this certification she will be able to facilitate a much more thorough and varied program structure for her athletes. The WISE Fund will allow Holly to further develop as a coach and advance the sport of cross-country skiing in Inuvik.
NWT Soccer Association
Sport: Soccer
Supported by: Soccer Canada
Location: North West Territories (Yellowknife)
The Northwest Territories Soccer Association believes that soccer is a driving force of positive change for residents within their community. They help to develop athletes, while also providing support and professional development opportunities for coaches and officials. To continue building on this momentum, they want to certify more women through their licensed coaching courses. The WISE Fund will help the NWT Soccer Association reduce course fees for women within their community, helping to break down barriers and build strong role models for girls and women in sport.
Saskatchewan Rowing Association
Sport: Rowing
Supported by: Rowing Canada
Location: Saskatchewan (Prince Albert, Lloydminster, Saskatoon and Regina)
The Saskatchewan Rowing Association promotes strength, perseverance and team work throughout their communities by providing opportunities for girls to grow their confidence through sport. They provide a safe and socially accepting environment for girls to try out rowing, enhancing their sport experiences. The Saskatchewan Rowing Association develops the physical and mental strength of the girls in their programs through specific encouragement and training. They are planning to provide “Learn To Row Summer Camps” for Indigenous and low-income girls in the areas of Prince Albert, Lloydminster, Saskatoon and Regina, and the WISE Fund will help them fund the hiring of summer camp leaders and coaches.
Squash BC
Sport: Squash
Supported by: Squash Canada
Location: British Columbia (Vancouver)
Squash BC was one of the first Canadian organizations to host a Women’s Squash Week. The organization aims to provide their membership with leadership development strategies that can be implemented at the club level. Squash BC plans to host a leadership forum during their next Women’s Squash Week, designed for women’s squash champions and others who are keen to get involved as a leader in the sport. The women leaders at the forum will develop strategies and create opportunities to attract and retain women and girls in squash. The WISE Fund will support with the costs associated with leadership forum, including securing trained facilitators.