Head Coach U22 Elite Prep and Director of Girls Hockey Featured

THE RIDLEY DIFFERENCE

On the ecologically rich and picturesque Niagara Escarpment, in the welcoming lakeside city of St. Catharines, sits Ridley College’s charming 90-acre campus. It is an ideal setting for family, career, and leisure.

Established in 1889, Ridley College has graduated men and women who have led flourishing lives and made significant contributions to their communities. Ridley has maintained a long-standing and global reputation of excellence in academics, athletics and the arts. Behind these standards is the constant reminder of the needs of others in the school’s motto, Terar Dum Prosim (May I be Consumed in Service). For more than 135 years, Ridley’s vision and approach to learning have produced influential leaders in a wide variety of fields. Today, the School’s student body includes some of the most brilliant young minds from around the globe.

With approximately 870 students from 60+ countries, the largest boarding programme in Ontario and the third-largest in Canada, Ridley College is a truly international, co-educational, day and boarding school that prepares students to be engaged, global citizens. Ridley’s Lower School offers Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6, the Middle School, Grades 7 and 8; and the Upper School consists of Grades 9 to 12. Ridley graduates attend some of the top universities and colleges around the world. Ridley is the only co-educational independent boarding school in Canada — and one of only three in North America — authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum programme across all grades. Ridley’s active, global community of over 8,000 alumni share a deep connection to each other and to the school thanks to the enriching learning and life-shaping experiences they have received from one of the top independent schools in the nation.

OVERVIEW

Ridley College is seeking an inspiring, visionary, and player-centric Head Coach of the U22 Elite Prep team and Director of Girls Hockey — a leader who is equal parts teacher, developer, mentor and strategic builder. Our programme is rooted in development: developing athletes, developing people, and developing a world-class hockey ecosystem that elevates each player’s potential and, in turn, advances the performance of the team as a whole.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a coach who is passionate about long-term athlete development and thrives on nurturing talent through high-performance pathways.

Under the direction of the Assistant Head – Co-curriculars and Community Connections, the position supports the vision and nurtures the culture of the Ridley College Girls Hockey programme.

The high-performance team competes in approximately 70 games each year and represents Ridley in the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) Elite U22 division, the only traditional school programme in this top North American amateur league.

The role is responsible for coaching and mentoring 15- to 19-year-old student-athletes to reach their fullest potential, while ensuring all actions align with the School’s mission, strategic priorities and applicable policies and procedures related to recruitment, engagement, fundraising and academic foundations. The successful candidate serves as an ambassador for Ridley College and the girls hockey programme, representing “Ridley first” at all times.

You have over 10 years of experience as a coach or an athlete at an elite level in hockey, coupled with specialized training in sport, team and athlete management. You can demonstrate success in coaching high-performance female hockey at a U22/Prep/Elite club, academy or similar level, with a proven ability to develop individual athletes toward next-level competition (USports/ NCAA/ Junior/ Pro pathways, as relevant). Your knowledge of strategic and tactical sport-specific systems, recruiting practices, as well as motivational techniques and approaches to practice and game management that minimize injury and optimize athlete performance are key skills you will bring to the role.

As a leader, you exhibit exceptional communication, listening, and interpersonal skills with a global, inclusive mindset, and you can build trust and strong relationships with athletes, families, faculty and colleagues. You are forward-thinking, optimistic, and collaborative, with the ability to lead through influence. You possess strong organizational skills with experience managing budgets, schedules, and team operations, and the ability to navigate competing priorities, handle sensitive situations with discretion and manage stress during peak travel and competition periods. As a priority, you are committed to maintaining safety, wellbeing and compliance across all aspects of the programme.

You have a College diploma or University undergraduate degree in Sports Management, Business, Communications, or a related degree, in addition to NCCP High Performance 1 (HP1) certification, at a minimum.

For additional information, please review the Candidate Information Package.