The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is proud to announce its 2018-19 participant in the annual Female Apprentice Coach Program for the sport of Basketball.
Medicine Hat Rattlers, ACAC
Apprentice: Courtney Henry
Mentor: Clayton Nielsen
In the middle of her first year with the Medicine Hat Rattlers Women’s Basketball team, Courtney Henry suffered a season-ending injury and was forced to watch from the sidelines.
Although it was a difficult experience for her, it gave Henry a new perspective of the game as she was able to see things from the sidelines that she was unable to see while playing.
“I found that rather than being able to contribute on the floor, my new role was to talk to my teammates and lead by being motivating, encouraging and being someone that they could talk to about the game,” she said.
Henry will once again return to the sidelines at Medicine Hat this season – this time as a CCAA apprentice. She’ll be mentored by her former head coach, Clayton Nielsen.
“There are many good, young female basketball players here in Medicine Hat and I feel Courtney will be a role model for them,” he said.
Nielsen is entering his third season at the helm of the Rattlers and is excited to take a CCAA apprentice under his wing. Henry has already dabbled into coaching, helping teach fundaments to youth at Rattlers Basketball Camps.
“I feel she will be a huge addition to our team,” he said. “I am confident that I will be able to help her in her journey to improve as a coach and provide her with the tools that will be beneficial for her to run her own program one day.”
In each of her three seasons at Medicine Hat, Henry was a captain and someone her teammates could confide in and trust. It’s a role she took pride in.
“These interpersonal skills I have acquired as a captain will only grow as I continue to develop rapport and relationships with the team,” she said.
It was just last March that Henry exhausted her eligibility with the Rattlers, leading the team to their first appearance at CCAA National in a decade. And just recently, Henry was named a recipient of the 2017-18 CCAA National Scholar Award.
Now, she’s ready for yet another wonderful opportunity to learn and grow as she transitions from player to coach.
“I believe that this is an amazing stepping stone for me to move towards becoming a middle school or high school coach in the future,” said Henry.
FACP Profiles Release Dates:
Wednesday, Sept. 12: CCAA Soccer
Wednesday, Sept. 19: CCAA Cross-Country Running
Wednesday, Sept. 26: CCAA Basketball
Wednesday, Oct. 3: CCAA Badminton
Wednesday, Oct. 10: CCAA Volleyball