Boccia Canada is proud to announce that coaches Eileen Bartlett (St. John’s, NL) and Tiffany Gaudette (Orangeville, ON) are joining the High-Performance Team.
These additions underscore Boccia Canada’s ongoing commitment to increase the presence of women in high-performance coaching roles. For both coaches, the new roles are the next step on a pathway that already includes years of coaching in their respective communities and provinces.
Reflecting on the new title, Gaudette shared that she’s “truly honoured to join Boccia Canada as Assistant Coach. It’s a privilege to work alongside such dedicated athletes and staff. I’m excited to learn, grow, and contribute in any way I can. Proud to be a part of this journey as well.”
Bartlett, a longtime boccia volunteer, coach and national referee, relishes the opportunity to focus on her coaching development.
“My development as a coach will progress dramatically in becoming Assistant Coach of the National Team. I look forward to working with and learning from the other coaches. I hope to then bring a new level of training and experience to the athletes I work with regularly in Newfoundland.”
High-Performance Director, Mario Delisle, echoed this sentiment in welcoming Bartlett and Gaudette to the team: “Eileen has certainly found her niche in the world of coaching boccia. She has a ton of experience and her background as a referee will be helpful to the team. Tiffany has demonstrated lots of passion and motivation over the last couple years and is always ready to help and learn from others. Both have demonstrated dedication and determination to support athletes provincially and we are thrilled to have them join our National Program.”
Mentorship programs helped prepare both coaches for the high-performance environment. Gaudette completed Boccia Canada’s Women in Boccia Coach Mentorship Program and is currently in the Coaching Association of Canada’s High-Performance Women in Coaching Mentorship Program, while Bartlett is a mentee coach in the Coaching Association of Canada’s Women and Gender Equity in Coaching Project (WAGE).
As a mentee, Gaudette engaged in an immersive learning experience at the National Boccia Training Centre, in the Institut national du sport du Québec (INSQ). There, they participated in national team practices and knowledge-sharing sessions with coaching and Integrated Support Team staff that provided insight into the high-performance environment.
Through the WAGE program, Bartlett was able to join the Canadian coaching staff for the recent World Youth Championships. She also received mentorship support from seasoned coach mentor Monique Camirand (Gatineau, QC). It’s an opportunity for the former national coach to support the development of more women coaches.
“I hope to share my experience as a former coach at the community, provincial and national level. I’ve had the opportunity to witness the evolution of the sport over the years, and I’m very happy to see more provinces (and women) getting involved. My experience should inspire coaches across the country—it’s possible, as a woman, to coach at the highest level.”
Boccia Canada remains committed to fostering inclusive excellence in parasport coaching across the country and recognizes the continued support of the Coaching Association of Canada in making these advancements possible. Find out more about Boccia Canada’s coaching program here or get involved for the first time here.
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA leads, develops and grows boccia from grassroots to producing World Champions, and we collaborate with partners to increase participation of Canadians with physical disabilities in sport.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4, BC5, and Open. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.
Media contacts:
Holly Janna
Communications Lead and National Team Coordinator
hjanna@bocciacanada.ca
514-944-5193