DENVER, Colo. -- Two coaches from institutions in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) are continuing to invest in their growth as leaders through opportunities provided by WeCOACH and the NCAA, bringing valuable experiences and perspectives back to their teams and the conference.
WeCOACH offers a variety of professional development opportunities designed to support coaches throughout their careers. Among its signature programs are the NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA) and NCAA Academy 2.0, which provide coaches with opportunities to develop leadership skills, build relationships and strengthen their overall effectiveness as coaches.
Harris Participates in NCAA Women Coaches Academy
Jolynn Harris, head women's wrestling coach at Albion College, was selected to participate in the NCAA Women Coaches Academy Class #56. The academy brought participants together May 18-20 in Denver, Colorado.
The NCAA Women Coaches Academy is a multi-day professional growth and development program for collegiate women coaches across all sports and levels of competition. The program is designed for coaches at all stages of their careers who are looking to elevate their holistic coaching effectiveness through advanced leadership skills and strategies.
Rather than focusing on sport-specific instruction, the WCA centers on concepts that directly impact personal and team success, including leadership, communication, relationship building and professional development. The academy also provides participants with an environment that fosters inclusion and collaboration across the broader collegiate sports community.
For Harris, the opportunity provided a chance to learn alongside women coaches from a variety of sports and institutions while continuing to develop her leadership approach.
Leibforth Takes the Next Step
Kalamazoo College head women's soccer coach Jill Leibforth continued her own WeCOACH journey this spring, building on her experience as a graduate of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy.
Leibforth was a member of NCAA Women Coaches Academy Class #55 before being selected for NCAA Academy 2.0 Class #9. She joined fellow coaches for the advanced academy May 17-19 in Denver, Colorado
"WeCoach 2.0 felt like a natural step from the 1.0 academy, but it felt like a much deeper, more connected experience," commented Leibforth. "We spent a lot of time focused on the realities of coaching, and more importantly, what women coaches can do to make this profession healthier for everyone, and more sustainable for the future. I walked away with strategies I could utilize right away on campus, but also a different perspective on what it means to be a healthy and effective coach for the long haul!"
Launched in 2018 exclusively for NCAA Women Coaches Academy graduates, NCAA Academy 2.0 is designed to take participants' coaching and leadership development to the next level. The multi-day program builds upon the skills, strategies and knowledge gained through the WCA while providing a smaller-class setting focused on deeper learning and transformational leadership development.
The progression from WCA to Academy 2.0 allowed Leibforth to continue developing the skills and relationships she began building through her initial academy experience.
Investing in the Future of Coaching
The experiences of Harris and Leibforth reflect the MIAA's continued commitment to professional development and leadership opportunities for its coaches.
Through programs such as the NCAA Women Coaches Academy and NCAA Academy 2.0, coaches are able to step outside their day-to-day environments, learn from colleagues across the country and return to their institutions with new ideas and perspectives.
For Harris, her first experience with the WCA represents an opportunity to continue growing as a leader. For Leibforth, advancing to Academy 2.0 demonstrates the lasting impact of that development and the value of continuing to invest in leadership throughout a coaching career.
Together, their participation highlights the many ways MIAA coaches are pursuing opportunities to grow—not only as coaches in their respective sports, but as leaders, mentors and advocates for the student-athletes they serve.