The National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) is now requiring all coaches to maintain their certification through Professional Development activities.   PD points can be earned through a multitude of activities that coaches already participate in, including: national and provincial sport organization conferences and workshops, eLearning modules, NCCP workshops, coach mentorship programs, and active coaching.  Softball Coaches who are trained in the Competition Introduction Stream are being asked to earn 20 Points within a 5-year period.  For more information on how to earn points, visit the Coaching Association of Canada website

 

 

 

The Softball Ontario Coaches Committee is extremely excited about the opportunity for coaches to get credit and quantify what they are already doing.  We are also working to create Professional Learning Opportunities on technical and tactical items not covered in the NCCP Classes such as mental prep, or off-season planning.

 

To help coaches, we have planned two “6 Packs” of 1 Hour Webinars.  We are launching the first one on March 27^th with Jeff Ellsworth.  Coaches will be able to register, watch the webinar and earn 1 point. If you sign up for the 6 Webinars before the season, you will earn all the points you need for the year.

 

We are thrilled at the lineup of coaches we have signed up to help our coaches. We have a cross-section of elite softball coaches, and coaches with perspectives from different sports. 

 http://www.softballontario.ca/english/our-programs/coach/softball-nccp/professional-development-points-webinar-series.html

If you have a suggestion for a topic you would like to see covered, or any questions, please feel free to email me at Scottsearle@rogers.com

 

 

 

Jeff is one of the best softball players in the world.  He led the Hill United Chiefs to 3 consecutive, ISC World Championships.  He represented Team Canada for over 10 years beginning in 2006, winning a bronze medal at the 2009 WBSC Men’s World Softball Championship and later winning Gold medals at the 2015 WBSC Men’s World Championship and Pan American Games.

Jeff has recently transitioned to coaching where he led his home province of PEI to the 2009 Canada Summer Games.  He is currently coaching the Women’s Canada Games team from PEI, preparing for the 2017 Canada Summer Games.  Jeff has led that group to compete in five consecutive Canadian Championships.

Jeff’s success and leadership was recognized when he was named to the Coaching Staff of the USSSA Florida Pride that competes in the NPF. He was also named the Head Coach of the Junior Men’s National Team whom he led to a podium finish in 2016.

 

 

 

Before his retirement from elite competition in 2016 Ryan was the longest-serving member of Team Canada. He first joining the Men’s National Team in 2000 and spent 16 years as one of the most successful and feared hitters in the world.  Ryan was an exceptional lead-off hitter and many fans tell stories of Ryan leading off games with a hit, followed by two stolen bases.  During his tenure on the team, the team won Bronze Medals at the 2009 ISF Men’s World Championships, Silver at the 2002 Pan American Championship, the 2004 ISF World Championship, the 2006 Pan-American Games, and Gold medals at the 2008 Three Nations Challenge, 2015 WSBC World Championship and 2015 Pan-American Games.

 

 He played his minor softball in a number of surrounding centres such as Glencoe, Appin, Sarnia, Fingal and his hometown of Melbourne. His long history of Canadian Championships includes five Gold Medals (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011), earning the Top Player of the Championship Round award in 2005 and 2010 , Top Batter in 2009 and a total of four All-Star Team selections.

 

Wolfe led Team Canada as captain at the 2015 Word Championship where they won a Gold Medal. This added to his resume which saw him compete for team Canada in 2000 (4th), 2004 (Silver), 2009 (Bronze) and 2013 (5th). A very patient hitter (18 walks in 92 plate appearances) and smart baserunner (18 runs scored), Wolfe has been a consistent leader for Team Canada throughout his years of involvement.

Most importantly, Ryan is well-known as a class act and first class person. He is an exemplary teammate and role model for young people. Ryan is a Phys-Ed Teacher and Athletic Director at Glencoe Secondary School.

 

 

John is the Head Coach of the Senior Men’s National Team. In his first year in this role, he led the team to double gold medals at the World Softball and Baseball Classic (WSBC) and Pan-American Games.

 

He started his softball career late compared to most as I came from a Baseball background. Started coaching at age 25 while still playing eventually leading up to coaching BC Jr Team to Silver Medal in 2002 at Nationals as well as 4th place finish in 2004. Took over head coaching position of Vancouver Greysox Senior Men's Team in 2005 leading Greysox to National Championship in 2007 first time a Vancouver Team had won a National title since 1966. Was part of support staff for Team Canada Men's National Team at 2009 ISF World Championships. Became assistant coach with Men's National Team in 2010 helping Team Canada to Gold medal at Pan American Championships in 2012 . Took over head coaching position with Men's National Team in 2014 leading Canada to Gold at 2015 World Championship Canada's first World Championship since 1992. Followed up with Gold Medal a month later at 2015 Pan Am Games.

Married 23 years to wife Barb have 2 boys Levi 21 and Brodi 17.

 

Bruce Casselman holds the legacy of being one of the top players to play mens fastpitch in Canada.  In the 1990’s he led the Toronto Gators to two ISC World Championships and two Canadian Championships.  He was a member of the Senior Mens National Team that won Gold at the 1999 Pan-American Games champion in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He also represented Team Canada at the ISF World Championships in South Africa. A very humble person, Bruce is most proud to have caught some of the best pitchers from around the world including; Darren Zack, Brad Underwood, Micheal Piechnick, Dean Holein, Chubb Tangerora, Doug Middleton and Steve Price.  Bruce moved away from softball to coach hockey in the Ottawa area, but had his passion for the game re-kindled by coaching his daughters u14 team. Bruce is a Softball Ontario Learning Facilitator and provides support on technical skills. More recently he was a Guest Coach with the u21 Men’s Canada Games Program in Ontario where he consulted with the catchers on setting up batters with proper sequences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chantal Vallée                       @coachvalee

Chantal Vallée is in currently in her eleventh season as the Head Coach of the Windsor Lancers Women's Basketball program. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Coach Vallée has built one of the top women's basketball programs in the country here at the University of Windsor, capturing five straight CIS national titles in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Chantal speaks fluent French, English and Spanish and has a Masters Degree in Sport Psychology.  Her message and insights apply beyond competitive sports to all aspects of life.

 

In her off-season at Windsor, she is an Assistant Coach with the Women’s National Team. Most recently she covered the 2016 Olympic Summer Games as an analyst and sports caster.

Some notable awards she has received include:

- CIS Women's Basketball Coach of the Year - 2013-14, 2014-15
- OUA Fox 40 Overall Female Coach of Year – 2009, 2011, 2013 & 2015

- OUA West Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year – 2009, 2011 & 2012, 2014, 2015

- University of Windsor Gino Fracas Coach of the Year – 2008, 2009 & 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
- WESPY Awards Coach of the Year - 2012, 2013

Pat Reid is one of the most successful coaches in Canadian history.  He has coached at the highest levels in hockey as well as Athletics is one of the few Level 5 certified coaches in Athletics Canada.   Pat was the Director of the High Performance Program "Best Ever '88" for Canadian athletes and coaches preparing for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. Pat has coached or been involved in a technical capacity at 7 Summer Olympics and 5 Winter Olympics Games and he has coached athletes to over 50 provincial and national titles and berths on four Olympic teams. He has been elected to the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame and currently lives in Edmonton where he works as the Executive Director of the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission.

In addition to his coaching success, he has a great deal of management experience in sport.  While working as VP International for the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (now Hockey Canada), he was the Director of Operations for the Women’s National Hockey Team and general manager of the first IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship. He is credited with the infamous pink jersey decision that ignited press coverage that is viewed as having saved the event which was secretly the Olympic test event to see if women's hockey could attract an Olympic calibre audience. It did and women's hockey was added to the Winter Olympics. Pat also guided Canada’s Junior Men’s Hockey Team to two World Championship gold medals.

Pat is a highly sought after speaker on coaching issues and was the first North American coach to give the keynote address at the annual European Athletics Coaches Congress. He has lectured as a professor in the Human Kinetics department at the University of Ottawa as well as at Algonquin College. While working in Edmonton he is presently completing his PhD at the University of Alberta. He has run the Boston Marathon twice and is a graduate of the National Coaching Institute. Most importantly, Pat played left field for the very successful Elliot Lake Merchants softball team as a young man growing up in Elliot Lake!