Samir El Akkati of the Dynamiques de Sainte-Foy has been named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
El Akkati was honoured this evening during the CCAA All-Canadian Banquet at the 2016 CCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship, hosted by Collège Ahuntsic in Montreal, QC.
“Samir has changed the philosophy and style of play of Dynamiques,” said Marlene Ford, CCAA Women’s Soccer Convenor. “He has a way of developing young players and getting them to focus on playing a strong defensive game and attacking when the opportunity arises.”
It was El Akkati’s first season as the Division 1 head coach at Sainte-Foy, after having worked with the Division 2 team at the Cégep. Sainte-Foy adopted a completely new style of play in 2016 and went 6-2-2 in the competitive RSEQ and placed second behind only the two-time defending CCAA National Champion Élans de Garneau.
The Dynamiques fell 2-0 to Garneau in the RSEQ gold-medal game.
El Akkati organizes the soccer program at l’école secondaire Saint-Jean-Eudes and is the assistant technical director for the Club team in Beauport. He also coaches the senior women’s AAA Club team in Beauport.
CCAA Coach of the Year winners receive a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA National Championship Awards Banquet.
OTHER NOMINEES
Anup Kang |
Chris Morgan |
Steve Vagnini |
Jackie Ryan |
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VIU Mariners |
GPRC Wolves |
St. Clair Saints |
Dalhousie Rams |
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Kang guided the Mariners to a 5-2-5 record and second-place finish in the PACWEST. He has created an environment that is relaxed and conducive to learning to help focus on developing student-athletes on and off the field. In the past 3 years, 35 athletes from the Women’s Soccer program at VIU have achieved Academic Excellence. |
Morgan led the Wolves to an 8-2 record as the team improved by seven points in his first season at GPRC. Morgan, who leads the team’s academic monitoring program, is enthusiastic and has improved the team’s self-esteem and confidence. He is also the Wolves Men’s Soccer coach and conducts clinics for the Grande Prairie Soccer Association and the Alberta Soccer Association. |
Vagnini guided the Saints to a 7-1-2 record and second-place finish in the OCAA’s West Division. He challenges his players to reach their potential by taking them out of their comfort zone. Vagnini’s players continue to develop good habits with the goal of being technically perfect and tactically sound. He is also the Club Head Coach for the Eastside Kickers Soccer Club. |
Ryan led the Rams to a five-point improvement in 2016. She spends much of the season building a strong community within the team and encourages her players to be positive female leaders on campus and in their personal lives. Ryan is involved with multiple development and coaching systems; she organizes and facilitates programs for approximately 100 females within the Highland Region of Nova Scotia. |