Women to Watch Grant Program

Sport NB is dedicated to decreasing barriers that may result in impact women in their ability to reach their full coaching education goals. The Women to Watch Grant Program is a key initiative that will provide financial assistance to women coaches looking to advance in their coaching pathway.

Grants will be awarded to women coaches in the Province of New Brunswick to assist them in further developing the skills necessary to attain a higher level of coaching or increased level of coaching experience. The grant aims at helping to offset cost associated with their coach development (i.e., course/event fees, travel, childcare…).

The grants applications will be accessed bi-annually with a maximum of $1500 being disbursed per fiscal year (max $500/recipient).  The grant will remain open throughout the year closing on March 15th  until the start of the next fiscal (April 1st).

Deadline for 2024-25 Applications: March 15th, 2025.

Meet our 2023-2024 Grant Recipients

Emily Prystupa: Field Hockey

Emily Prystupa is a field hockey coach who has coached various levels from beginners to the sport to University athletes. Emily began coaching field hockey in 2017 when an injury prevented her from playing in her last season for the University of British Columbia, taking up co-coaching the Junior Varsity Team with one of her teammates.

After the pandemic and moving to New Brunswick, Emily began coaching with the University of New Brunswick Reds starting in 2021 and began coaching various levels with Field Hockey New Brunswick after its incorporation in 2023. Emily’s passion for coaching and field hockey led her to be part of a team that re-established a Provincial Sport Organization in New Brunswick for field hockey, sending a U18 Team to Nationals for the first time in over a decade during its first year or incorporation. Emily is very thankful for the amazing community and great experiences playing field hockey has given her and she coaches to help provide young athletes with the opportunities field hockey has given her. Her favourite part about coaching is supporting athletes to develop their confidence and achieve individual and team goals. 

As a Women to Watch Grant recipient Emily will be working towards her NCCP field hockey coaching certifications to better support her athletes and coach the U18 Field Hockey New Brunswick Team at Nationals this year in British Columbia. She looks forward to using this foundation to continue coaching in New Brunswick and to support and inspire others to start
coaching Field Hockey.

 

Abby Burgess: Curling

Abby Burgess is a Competition-Development certified
curling coach who has spent the last 7 years developing and honing her coaching skills. She has coached her athletes to numerous New Brunswick championships, lead Women’s Team NB at both the U18 and U21 championships, and most recently, represented her home province as the mixed doubles coach at the PEI 2023 Winter Canada Games. 

Abby’s coaching goal is to provide a positive & safe environment for all athletes to learn and grow in. Achieving the national stage with her athletes is typically the season goal, however, seeing athletes meet their individual and team goals at any level is her biggest reward as a coach. Her ultimate coaching goal is to be a part of the national coaching team for curling. She will use the Women to Watch Grant funds to provide her athletes with the latest technology
(speed traps, video equipment, etc.) to improve their technical skills. 

 

Kelsey Hogan: Ultrarunning

Kelsey is an endurance athlete who loves to spend time
exploring trails and appreciating the beauty
of the natural world around us. She holds an MSc Kinesiology from Dalhousie University, where her research focused on the psychological experiences of first-time ultramarathon participants and mental health of community sport coaches. As an ultramarathon athlete, Kelsey has achieved podium performances at races around the world ranging from 50km-200 miles. She is committed to creating more inclusive spaces in sport environments, and particularly interested in supporting women and young people. As a coach, she is excited to help athletes of all backgrounds and abilities discover a love of trail and ultrarunning.

As a coach, Kelsey loves supporting people to dream big and take the next step in their running journey, whether they are new to the sport or looking to improve their performance. The funds from this program will help cover the cost of her UESCA Ultrarunning Coach Certification, a training course that provides a comprehensive foundation for coaching ultramarathon athletes. The knowledge from this training, combined with her graduate studies in sport psychology and previous NCCP coach education, will help her to create comprehensive training programs to
support athletes of all backgrounds and abilities. 

 

Grant Application Process: 

Please complete and email the following to our Coordinator, Women in Coaching:

    • Application Form
    • NCCP Transcript
    • Letter of Support from one of the following;
      • Local Sport Organization, Provincial Sport Organization or National Sport Organization

**Applications with support letters from Provincial or National level Sport Organizations may be given priority. SportNB may make contact with your Provincial Sport Organization, upon reception of your application.

Amount of Support

    • Up to $500 is available through this grant program
    • Coaches are only eligible to apply for and receive one grant within a fiscal year (April – March)

Grant Deadline

    • Applications will be accepted throughout the year, with the final acceptance being March 15th for each fiscal year.

Follow up Procedures

Within 60 days of the completion of the activity the grant recipient must submit a written follow up report to the Coordinator, Women in Coaching. The report must contain the following information:

    • Details of the activity you participated in (when, where, who, etc.)
    • How this experience contributed to the learning objectives you outlined in your original application. Any successes, challenges, and recommendations should also be included.
    • An article that could be included in a SportNB newsletter or the Women to Watch Grant Program webpage.
    • A financial report detailing all expenditures relevant to your participation in the event.

Promotion of Women to Watch Grant Program

As a recipient of a Women to Watch Grant, you may be asked to supply a photo and a detailed report of your learning activities for publication or promotion purposes or to speak to other female coaches about your experience.

Forward your application via Email: madeline.belding@sportnb.com

**All application material is to be submitted as a PDF document**