Toronto, ON: In partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL), and the National Hockey League Player Association the Black Canadian Coaches Association is pleased to announce the creation of the inaugural BIPOC Hockey Coach Mentorship Program (BHCMP). The BHCMP is a mentorship program connecting current and aspiring hockey coaches across Canada. It represents the BCCA’s 3rd national mentorship program, in addition to the Black Female Coach Mentorship Program (BFCMP) and the BIPOC Football Coaches of Canada (BFCC) Mentorship Program.

The BHCMP program will include one-on-one guidance and support, as well as social networking and professional development opportunities for members.  Mentors and mentees will be from various experiential backgrounds in hockey. As such, the program will be focused on enhancing cultural diversity in Canadian hockey through coach development and mentorship, enhancing visibility of pathways for racialized persons, and overall connectivity and networking among program participants and members of the larger Canadian hockey community.

Dr. Janelle Joseph and Alex McKenzie from the IDEAS Research Lab (University of Toronto), will lead the evaluation component of BHCMP, collecting stories of experiences in hockey, coaching, and the mentorship program to advance what is known about racialized people in sport.

2022-23 Mentors – BIPOC Hockey Coach Mentorship Program
Vicky Sunohara	Moezine Hasham
Perry Wilson	Shauna Bookal
Errol MacDonald	Derek Atherley
Maxime Boisclair	Gary Carter
Rumun Ndur	Brian Noad
Cyril Bollers	Keelin Farren

“The NHL and NHLPA are tremendously proud to be supporting the hard work and optimism of the Black Canadian Coaches Association. The Industry Growth Fund strategy is to partner with organizations that are leading the way in changing the game and finding ways to help expand on their successes. The BCCA Coach Mentorship program is doing just that and we look forward to the learnings as it aims to strengthen the depth of coaches in our game

– Mandi Duhamel, Senior Director Business Insights & Industry Growth (NHL)

MENTEE APPLICATIONS OPEN:

The BHCMP is now open to any person who identifies as a racialized person participating in hockey. This includes new, former, and experienced coaches who are seeking an opportunity to further develop or share coaching knowledge, skills and expertise. The program will run from September 2022- May 2023.   

Click here to register for the BHCMP!

Applications for the 2022-2023 BIPOC Hockey Coach Mentorship Program are now open and will close Friday September 30, 2022 at 5:00 PM (EST). Mentees will be contacted by Monday, Oct 3, 2022.

About:

The NHLPA is the collective bargaining representative for all current National Hockey League players. In this capacity, the NHLPA works to negotiate fair terms and conditions of employment and also assists players with grievances and salary arbitration. The NHLPA also operates a group licensing program on behalf of the players, and is responsible for managing the player agents’ certification program. The NHLPA plays a major role in growing the game internationally through the planning, execution and player participation in the World Cup of Hockey, the World Hockey Championship and neutral-site games.https://www.nhl.com/

The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey to celebrate fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. The NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone™ initiative reinforces that the official policy of the sport is one of inclusion on the ice, in locker rooms, boardrooms and stands. The NHL is expanding access and opportunity for people of all backgrounds and abilities to play hockey, fostering more inclusive environments and growing the game through a greater diversity of participants. To date, the NHL has invested more than $100 million in youth hockey and grassroots programs, with a commitment to invest an additional $5 million for diversity and inclusion programs over the next year. https://www.nhlpa.com/

To learn more about the BIPOC Hockey Coach Mentorship program, contact info@thebcca.com

Leadership Through Sport – We Are StrongerTogether!