After suffering a career ending injury last season, former women's volleyball player Nicole Brockman is taking part in the CCAA Female Apprentice Coaching Program and is putting her experience and talent from the court and making use of it on the sidelines as an assistant coach. She answered several questions about what her experience has been like transitioning from a player to an assistant coach and why she feels the program is an important one. 

1. What is the CCAA Female Apprentice Coaching Program?

   This program provides funding for female graduating student-athletes to have the opportunity to receive experience as an apprentice coach in the CCAA, and hopefully attract potential female coaches to College athletic teams. The goal of the program is to increase opportunities for more women to have access to coaching experience, as the vast majority of coaches in the CCAA are male.

2. Why do you feel it's an important program for the CCAA to have?

   I think this is an incredibly important program as there is a huge shortage of female coaches in the ACAC, and the CCAA. While I have had many great male coaches, having a strong female role model and coach to the look up to as a female player would be great. I think it's also important that females be recognized as being just as capable as males to be coaches, and this program helps encourage more females to take this step towards coaching.

3. Why were you interested in taking part in the program?

   I suffered a career ending back injury in my third year as a player on the women's volleyball team, and so I was forced to retire early from the sport. Greg Ryan, our new Head Coach for the women's volleyball team, approached me with this opportunity as he thought I would be a good fit. I was immediately excited about the idea. I was sad to be leaving volleyball, so this was a way I could stay involved with the team, just in a different capacity.

4. Was coaching something you've had an interest in previously?

   I never thought coaching with this team would have been an option, as I planned to play for the full four years of my degree. However, I have always been interested in the thought of coaching my own team one day. As a setter I have always been intrigued with the mental and strategic aspect of the game, and it was in the back of my head to maybe coach one day once I was no longer playing. I never thought that it would happen this soon!

5. Is coaching something you'd like to pursue further?

   I am hoping to go to med school after I graduate (or in the years following, depending on if I  can get in), so it is not something I will immediately pursue as I have these career goals as my priority right now. However, I think it is something I would love to take up as a hobby if I have more time in the future.

6. What was it like transitioning from being on the court to being on the sidelines?

   I'm not going to lie, it hasn't been easy. I really miss playing, and it's hard when an injury forces to quit playing before you're ready. However, I'm thankful that I have this opportunity to still stay involved with the girls and with the sport. It is way different than playing, but it's cool to now be involved in game planning and working on the development of the players.

7. Are there things that surprised you about moving off the court?

   I have a whole new appreciation for how much work the coaching staff does for the team. As a player, you get a glimpse of the work that the coaches do, but you never really actually think about it or know all that they do. Now that I'm doing work behind the scenes as a coach, I respect the coaching position so much more as I now realize how much work and dedication goes into coaching a team. From hours of video analysis, to planning practices, to meeting with players outside of practice time and hours spent recruiting to ensure a strong program for the years following- the work never ends.

8. What do you miss the most?

   Surprisingly, it's not the playing I miss the most, but the comradery of the team. I miss hanging out with the girls in the locker room, or battling in a close match on the court with the girls- those things bring you really close. I've had to take a step back and draw some boundaries now as a coach, so it's definitely an aspect I miss. That being said, I still get to spend a lot of time with the team, so it's not bad by any means.

9. What has been something you've really enjoyed about becoming an assistant coach?

   I've really enjoyed being a trusted resource for the girls to come to if they have questions or are struggling with something. I was a previous player, and also am the only female coach on staff, so I can better relate to the girls than the other coaches might be able to. Greg calls me the "chief interpreter", as my main role is to bridge the gap between the male coaches and the players, to make sure that both sides are heard and understood. We sort of joked about this title at the beginning, but the girls have actually really used me to bring up issues or struggles they might not feel comfortable going to the other coaches about. It's been a difficult role at times, but it feels nice to be a respected figure on the coaching staff by the players, as just last year I was their teammate.

10. What is something you've found difficult or challenging?

    Because I was most of the players teammate just last year, and am still a student, it's been challenging to draw the boundary between the coaches and players. I was nervous stepping into this role at the beginning because I wasn't sure how I would be received, but the girls have been great. I also feel equally respected by our other coaches and have learnt so much from them, so it's turned out to be a pretty great situation.