P.E.I. coach joins Ottawa Redblacks as part of new women in football program 

Meagan Ferguson of Stratford, P.E.I., obtained her first style of being on the sidelines for knowledgeable soccer recreation final week when the Ottawa Redblacks performed their season opener in opposition to the Toronto Argonauts. 

“I am very tiny, so I all the time attempt to scoot in entrance of the gamers so I can truly see previous the six foot tall soccer gamers,” Ferguson stated. 

“It is actually thrilling simply to be on the sidelines with that environment and that power. Everyone’s been tremendous nice.”

Ferguson is a part of the primary ladies in soccer program organized by the CFL, one among 9 ladies from throughout Canada spending 4 weeks with one of many league’s 9 groups. 

Two different ladies have been additionally in teaching roles, whereas others have been concerned with energy and conditioning, within the crew’s entrance workplace, and one with gear administration. 

“It has been an unbelievable expertise,” stated Ferguson. “I am simply so grateful to be amongst the 9 ladies to start out off this program.” 

“The expertise has been unmatched, with all of the data and ability units and those who I’ve met to date.”

‘Be a sponge’

A hockey teammate at UNB inspired Ferguson to strive soccer in 2015, and he or she has been hooked ever since.

In 2019, she co-founded the Island Demons, P.E.I.’s first crew within the Maritime Girls’s Soccer League.

Ferguson stated the ladies in soccer program was an incredible alternative to develop her soccer data. 

“My two intentions coming into this system, one was clearly to be a sponge, so simply to soak up every little thing from how the skilled soccer league works, totally different expertise and drills that I can convey again to the Maritimes,” she stated.

“The opposite purpose was to be a employee bee and put myself to make use of, whether or not that is with teaching, psychological efficiency consulting, or simply being a help system for the workers and the coaches.”

Ferguson coaches the ladies’s hockey crew at Holland Faculty, and likewise runs her personal enterprise as a psychological efficiency marketing consultant for athletes, groups and coaches. 

She put these expertise to make use of at first of the coaching camp, when the Ottawa head coach invited her to talk to the rookies. 

“Mainly simply to speak about psychological resiliency, specializing in the issues that matter, and the issues which might be of their management,” Ferguson stated. 

“I used to be additionally capable of work actually closely with the defensive corps, with Coach [Mike] Benevides, run some periods out on the turf, run some periods within the classroom. So they have been very open to my ability set, which is, you realize, actually a blessing to see.”

Being the primary

Ferguson stated her work on psychological preparation helped to arrange her for being put within the highlight because the crew’s first feminine coach. 

“I feel it is one thing that everyone would assume, being the primary feminine coming right into a crew with this new program, I feel like something, there’s nerves to start out one thing new,” she stated.

“However my large factor is pushing your self outdoors of your consolation zone is the one approach you are going to develop. So actually seeing this as a chance, not only for this system and the league, however for myself, actually extra pleasure than nervous is what I might say about that.” 

I feel that is step one in shifting ahead, is seeing that equality, with ability units and professionalism and fervour.—Meagan Ferguson

Ferguson stated she has felt help from the Redblacks gamers and coaches as properly. 

“Working with the athletes on the sphere has been nice. Their respect degree for, you realize, not only a new coach coming in, however a feminine coach coming in has been actually refreshing,” she stated. 

“I’ve talked to a few the coaches out right here who’ve been nice, they’ve daughters, they’ve nieces, and the largest suggestions they’ve given me is wow, seeing somebody in that place offers them an thought of what alternatives are there.”

Finish purpose

Laurence Pontbriand is the supervisor of soccer and officiating growth for the CFL, and helped to create the brand new program. 

She stated the league was “pleasantly shocked” that greater than 150 ladies utilized for this system.

“We actually need to give the chance to ladies to get entangled in soccer on the skilled degree, get to be taught from our golf equipment,” Pontbriand stated.

“However we additionally need to give the chance to the golf equipment to have entry to a bigger pool of candidates when it comes to coaches, soccer operations, workers, scouts. And if ladies should not thought-about, then they do not have entry to that bigger pool.”

I feel we now have to see some ladies employed throughout the golf equipment, that is the top purpose.—Laurence Pontbriand

Pontbriand stated there’s at the moment one feminine coach in B.C., two ladies in soccer operations, and two in athletic remedy within the CFL.

She stated the plan is for this system to proceed in 2023, with the purpose of rising the variety of ladies working within the league.

“I feel we now have to see some ladies employed throughout the golf equipment, that is the top purpose,” Pontbriand stated.

 “It is a long-term purpose. It is not one thing that we’re anticipating to see this 12 months,” she stated. But when we do have some ladies employed from that program, that is how we will we will measure the success of this system.” 

Ferguson stated she has a “football-filled summer time” forward, together with teaching the New Brunswick under-18 feminine sort out crew. 

She shall be taking that crew to Saskatchewan for the primary under-18 feminine sort out nationals in July. 

Ferguson can be head coach for P.E.I.’s under-18 feminine squad that shall be competing on the flag soccer nationals in August at UPEI. 

As for girls discovering careers in skilled soccer, Ferguson stated she hopes her time with the crew has made a distinction.

“Right here on the Redblacks, they have been tremendous open to my ability set and my data,” Ferguson stated.

“I feel that is step one in shifting ahead, is seeing that equality, with ability units and professionalism and fervour. Does not matter for those who’re male or feminine, you probably have a drive to maneuver ahead. I feel that is what they’re open to.”