The 2020 Ontario Speed Skating Coaches Conference is going online! Join us during National Coaches Week and into October for a series of coaching webinars with speakers who are specialists in a variety of subjects.
 
We will kick off the conference on Wednesday September 23 at 8pm with Coaching in the COVID Reality - a sharing session featuring suggestions from speed skating coaches who have already returned to on-ice practices this season.

The conference will continue throughout September and October with weekly presentations, including:

Safe Strength and Plyometrics Training for Youth Athletes
with Zach Skubnik (R.Kin, CSCS) of Mind to Muscle in Barrie

Long Track Technique and Tactics
with Jordan Belchos, Canadian Long Track National Team and OSSA Member

Coaching Girls in Sport
with Elizabeth Migneron, OSSA High Performance Director

Short Track Technique and Biomechanics
Annie Sarrat, France National Short Track Team Coach

Additional topics include Sports Nutrition and Coaching Masters Athletes.

We will release presentation dates as they become available.
Stay tuned to the OSSA Website for details.

The cost of the 2020 Coaches Conference is $20.00 + HST ($22.60). This fee includes all sessions as well as access to the Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders/Coaches e-Learning module.

Certified Coaches attending the Conference will be eligible for one NCCP PD Point per session attended on their Locker transcript.
Coaches who register for the conference but cannot attend a live session will have access to the session recording for a limited time.

Registration is open! Register HERE.

OSSA would like to congratulate the following coaches who successfully completed their coach portfolio and evaluation to obtain their  
NCCP Certification in the 2019-2020 season: 

Dan Curtis (London) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Mark O'Donnell (Oakville) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Peter Milne (Ottawa) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Mark Heung (Milton) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Matt Kump (Niagara) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Stephanie Bowskill (Markham) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Jack Lapum (Kawartha) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Paul Devellis (Oakville) - Introduction to Competition Certified
Bernie Cappuccitti (Greater Durham) - FUNdamentals Coach Certified

Thank you and congratulations to our newly-certified NCCP Coaches!

OSSA is happy to announce that one of our coaches has received the Special Olympics Ontario Coach of the Year Award! Speed Skating is known across the country as being a sport for all ages and abilities, with Special Olympics athletes making up an important part of our identity as an inclusive sport. Laura exemplifies all aspects of inclusion in sport and has been a fundamental resource to the development of our Special Olympic athletes in Ontario.

Laura has been involved in Special Olympics for decades. With Laura at the helm, the Quinte Blades have developed and supported countless Special Olympic athletes through their sporting careers and life. Laura was a coach at the 2020 Special Olympic Canada Winter Games where she and the coaching team oversaw a team of 15 Special Olympic athletes from across Ontario who brought home 43 medals and 59 Personal Best times!

Laura is an astute student of sport and physical activity, regularly seeking out professional development opportunities and actively contributing to coaching seminars. It is her curiosity and willingness to improve her own coaching skills that allows her to demonstrate to her athletes the ongoing opportunity for improvement. To complement her opportunistic approach, Laura is kind hearted, energetic and generous with her time and resources for the greater good of her skaters.

Laura brings a personal approach to guiding each of her athletes and is a valued member of our Association. Join us in congratulating Laura Woodall on being named  Special Olympics Ontario 2020 Coach of the Year!

View the Special Olympics Ontario 2020 Awards Announcement HERE.

Attention clubs! Celebrate your coaches during the Coaching Association of Canada's National Coaches Week! Say #ThanksCoach on Social Media or with a National Coaches Week Gift!
More information about how you can celebrate your coaches during National Coaches Week can be found HERE.

Coaches, be sure to take advantage of free and discounted e-Learning opportunities during National Coaches week!
Courses include: Safe Sport, Coaching Athletes With a Disability and more! Available e-Learning modules can be found in your Locker account.

The Coaches Association of Ontario also has a great lineup of events planned for National Coaches Week. You can view their events, including Ask the Experts Coach Lunch & Learns and Professional Development webinars, HERE.

Another valuable program offered by the CAO is Mentor's Express. This is an opportunity to work with a sports expert in an area of your choice! The CAO is accepting coach applications until September 30th for Mentor's Express. 
More information about the program can be found HERE.

The Petro-Canada™ Sport Leadership sportif Conference is Canada's largest conference for coaches, researchers, sport executives, and administrators. This year's Conference will be hosted online from November 4-6, 2020 and is free of charge to all attendees!

More information and registration can be found HERE.