Keeping the passion alive: Tigers assistant coaches offer added support for student‑athletes

Dalhousie's head coaches put in a tremendous amount of work with their players both on and off the field of play and rely heavily on their assistant coaches to ensure a positive student-athlete experience.

There are currently 25 assistant coaches spread across Dalhousie’s 14 varsity teams who competed as Tigers before joining the coaching staff, something Cindy Tye, associate director of varsity athletics, sees as a tremendous asset.

“They are good people and natural leaders. They add an element of youth, experience, and those things are relatable to current players,” says Tye, who is also the women’s soccer head coach.

The first-hand experience provides current-student athletes with an opportunity to learn how to navigate the challenges they are faced with on a day-to-day basis.

That rings especially true for Talal Al-Awaid, an assistant coach with the first-year men’s soccer team.

“Understanding what players go through as student-athletes, and having players recognize I have been in their shoes before, giving advice and recommendations soccer related and non-soccer related is coming from somewhere I have lived myself,” says Al-Awaid.

“The ultimate goal is to help as many players as possible and to help them achieve their outcomes and goals,” adds Talal Al-Awaid. “That is what gives me satisfaction as a coach. Hopefully, at some point in their careers, they can continue to give back and continue to grow the game."

For the love of sport

Being an assistant coach certainly isn’t a high-paying job (if at all), and many assistant coaches have full-time careers and families to consider, but the passion for the sport they love drives them to continue to be involved.

“Ultimately, I wanted to stay involved in the sport I love, and coaching allows me to keep learning and gives me the ability to share the passion I have for the game. I’m thankful I can continue to actively be a part of the Tigers family,” says alumna Tessa Bulmer, who is currently in her fifth season as an assistant coach of women’s volleyball.

“The skills I developed as a student-athlete having to balance many aspects of my life at once definitely apply to coaching while starting my career and maintaining my personal life,” says Bulmer. “Saying no to things is a skill I’m still working on, it’s certainly necessary at times.”

Ten-year veteran assistant coach Kate MacDonald knows first-hand how difficult it can be to balance your passion with work and family obligations.

“It’s difficult, like anything you have a passion for on the side. You have to balance that with your life and your job,” says MacDonald.

“It comes down to really wanting to do it. Anything you really want to do and have a passion for, you’re going to make time for. I have a super supportive family including a husband and a three-year-old son so whenever soccer season rolls around, he is willing to take on more of that parenting role and help me out,” she adds.

To learn more about National Coaches Week, visit The Coaching Association of Canada website.