20231221_AC_Coach_Announcement

Lions’ Leadership: Guiding Team Canada to Global Success in 2025

by Internationallinkinbio

Congratulations to Ottawa Lions coaches Glenroy Gilbert, Leslie Estwick, Gordon Cavé, and Darrin Reesal on being named to Team Canada positions for the 2025 competition year.

Glenroy Gilbert, Athletics Canada’s Head Coach, will guide Team Canada through a demanding international schedule, culminating with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan next September. Before that, Gilbert will lead Canada at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, the World Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China, and the NACAC Championships. Gilbert’s steady leadership continues to be instrumental in shaping Canada’s track and field success on the world stage.

Leslie Estwick will serve as head coach at the NACAC Combined Events Championship in the United States. A veteran national team coach, Estwick’s appointment will be her first as a head coach of a national team. Previously, she served as head coach for Team Ontario at the 2022 Canada Games.

Gordon Cavé has been named sprints coach for the Pan Am Junior Games in Asuncion, Paraguay. This U23 competition marks yet another milestone in Cavé’s national team coaching journey, which includes previous assignments at the World Athletics U20 Championships and the NACAC Senior Championships.

Darrin Reesal will bring his expertise in throws to the Pan American U20 Championships  in 2025. This is Reesal’s second national team assignment, further showcasing his growing reputation as one of Canada’s premier throws coaches. His technical knowledge and passion for developing young talent will undoubtedly contribute to Canada’s success at the event.

Congratulations to all four coaches on these prestigious appointments! Your dedication and expertise continue to elevate both the Ottawa Lions and Canada’s presence on the international stage.

(Montreal, Canada---28 June 2024) Glenroy Gilbert competing in the 2024 Bell Trials Canadian Track and Field Championships and Olympic Trials. Photograph Copyright 2024 Miles Ryan / Mundo Sport Images. If posting to social media please tag @mundosportimages

From Olympic Gold to Mentorship: Lions Coaches Lead the Way

by ClublinkinbioNational

The Ottawa Lions are proud to highlight the outstanding achievements and ongoing development of its coaches through two prestigious programs: the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Awards and the Athletics Canada Coach Mentorship Program.  

Glenroy Gilbert Honoured with Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award  

Glenroy Gilbert, Canada’s Head Coach was recognized last week with the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award for his instrumental role as lead coach of the Canadian 4×100-metre relay team. Under his guidance and excellent leadership, the team claimed Olympic Gold at the Paris Olympics, a feat not achieved by a Canadian team since Gilbert helped Canada to the top of the podium 28 years ago. Gilbert had previously been recognized with the Coaching Excellence Award in 2022.

The Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Awards, presented by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) and Petro-Canada, celebrate coaches whose athletes have achieved podium success at world championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Special Olympics World Games. This year,  67 coaches from 27 sports were honoured, continuing a tradition that has recognized 1,512 coaches since the program’s inception in 1986.  

Investing in the Future: Athletics Canada Coach Mentorship Program  

The Ottawa Lions are equally thrilled to spotlight the involvement of two of their own in Athletics Canada’s Coach Mentorship Program. Yolande Jones-Grande has been selected as one of this year’s mentees, while Leslie Estwick, a veteran coach with the Lions, will serve as a mentor.  

This program, running from December 2024 in Edmonton through the Summer 2025 outdoor season, is designed to enrich the coaching experience by fostering deep, personal mentorship connections. Participants engage in regular interactions, both virtually and in person, while pursuing professional development opportunities, NCCP training, and more. The program aims to create a supportive environment where coaches can take risks, grow, and refine their skills for the betterment of themselves and their athletes.  

Celebrating Lions Coaches  

The Ottawa Lions take immense pride in the achievements and dedication of their coaching staff. From guiding athletes to Olympic podiums to fostering the next generation of coaching talent, Lions coaches embody excellence, leadership, and a commitment to the sport.  

As we celebrate these milestones, we look forward to seeing the continued impact of Glenroy Gilbert, Yolande Jones-Grande, and Leslie Estwick on athletics in Canada and beyond.  

YJG_Petro_Canada_Excellence_Award_1

OTTAWA LIONS CELEBRATES COACH YOLANDE JONES-GRANDE’S PETRO-CANADA COACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

by linkinbioNational

The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club is thrilled to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Coach Yolande Jones-Grande on receiving the prestigious Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award. The award ceremony took place last Friday night at the Sport Leadership Conference in Calgary, Alberta, where Coach Jones-Grande was recognized for her outstanding coaching achievements, particularly in guiding athlete Bianca Borgella to a remarkable double-medal performance at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championship.

The Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award is a testament to Coach Jones-Grande’s dedication, expertise, and significant contributions to the success of her athletes on the international stage. Presented annually at the Sport Leadership Conference by the Coaching Association of Canada and Petro-Canada, this award recognizes coaches whose athletes have excelled at world championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Special Olympics World Games.

The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club takes immense pride in Coach Jones-Grande’s accomplishments, as she joins the ranks of esteemed coaches within the club, including Glenroy Gilbert and Ian Clarke, who have previously received this prestigious award. The Sport Leadership Conference in Calgary provided a fitting stage to acknowledge Coach Jones-Grande’s coaching excellence before her peers and fellow leaders in the Canadian sports community.

Coach Yolande Jones-Grande’s recognition highlights the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and achievement. The Club looks forward to the continued success of athletes under Coach Jones-Grande’s guidance and remains dedicated to supporting coaches who play a crucial role in shaping the future of Canadian athletics.

Leslie Estwick Coaching

Estwick named head coach of Team Ontario for Canada Summer Games

by linkinbioProvincial

In a post on their Instagram feed yesterday, Athletics Ontario announced Leslie Estwick will serve as head coach for Team Ontario for the 2022 Canada Summer Games. The Games are scheduled for August 6-21 with the Athletics portion being held at the newly developed Canada Games Park in St. Catherines.

Estwick is no stranger to the experience of the Canada Summer Games, having represented Ontario as an athlete at the 1981 Games in both the high jump and heptathlon. More recently, the long time jumps coach has served on the coaching staff for Team Ontario at the past three Summer Games. In addition to her Canada Games experience, Estwick has also served on Canadian Mission Staffs for multiple Commonwealth and Olympic Games’ teams.

“I am honoured and grateful to receive this appointment,” said Estwick in the Athletics Ontario announcement. “I have loved my Canada Summer Games experiences as an athlete and an assistant coach and I recognize its value in athlete development. I am really excited and looking forward to working with AO staff, coaches and managers to assemble an amazing Team O and bring an unforgettable experience to the next generation of athletes.”

 

Leslie Estwick Coaching

Estwick named 1 of 12 mentors for Inaugural Black Female Coach Mentorship Program

by linkinbioNational

HIGH ACHIEVERS: Stay-Safe Edition

Respected Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club coach Leslie Estwick has been named one of 12 mentors for the inaugural Black Female Coach Mentorship Program for 2020-21. The Black Female Coach Mentorship Program is the next step in the Coaching Association of Canada’s Women in Coaching program, which also includes the Enhanced Female Mentorship program.

Coaches mentoring coaches exists because of funding support from Sport Canada and the federal government’s priority of gender equity in sport by 2035. The Black Female Coach Mentorship Program will focus on three areas:

  1. Provide Black female mentorship;
  2. Advance coach professionalism through mentors and mentees;
  3. Provide a sustainable model of mentorship to increase accessibility, support, leadership development for Black coaches.

The 12 mentors represent 4 provinces – Ontario (7), Quebec (2), Nova Scotia (2), British Columbia (1) and 8 sports – basketball, flag football, ice hockey, field hockey, track and field, volleyball, rugby, swimming.

The Black Canadian Coaches Association contacted Estwick, looking to expand its network of coaches beyond basketball. Estwick, a Chartered Professional Coach granted by the Coaching Association of Canada, was interested and agreed to be a mentor. “The mentorship opportunity is a great idea,” Estwick said. “It would have been really useful for me 30 years ago.”

Estwick has been a volunteer coach with the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club for more than three decades, starting when she was a high jumper. “Coaching is still a male dominated activity. There are not a lot of paid coaching jobs for women and women of colour,” she added. “We need more coaches in all sports, all levels, more female coaches, more black coaches.”

Over the next year, Estwick and the other 11 Black Female Coach Mentorship Program coaches will assist coaches (mentees) with their individual needs in a variety of sports to empower, guide and assist them move forward.

“The coach may want to learn more skills, mental training, some sport specifics, coaching specifics or networking help,” said Estwick, adding it may be easier for a coach of colour to learn from another coach of colour.

“It’s good to have a coach to talk to for experience to climb the ladder, write a resume or develop a path to follow. There’s a confidence building aspect to it. Yes, you are capable of doing this,” Estwick said.

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This story was originally posted as a series of tweets by journalist Martin Cleary