photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation
Since last April, when HER, the new coaching network for female coaches, was launched, the platform’s gotten busy. Naturally, then, HER was also present at the Global Hockey Forum in Nice, France, with a dedicated booth of its own.
In just six months, hundreds of coaches have registered as users to network and share ideas.
That was the whole purpose of HER.
“We have so many amazing ambassadors and stories to share,” said Blanka Elekes Szentagotai, the IIHF Women’s Program Manager, to IIHF.com just weeks before the launch.
“The main focus of HER is life coaching, networking, and mentorship – women helping women. We’ve seen this in other historically male-dominated professions, from lawyers to doctors. Right around the globe, we’re encouraging female coaches to communicate online, get together in person, watch some hockey, and talk to one another, as well as with young female players,” she added.
While there is a growing number of opportunities for women in coaching, the lack of female coaches is still a real issue.
“We know from camps and other events that we’ve organized that woman-to-woman communication is just different. We know it works,” Elekes Szentagotai said. “What’s important to remember is that it’s not a place where you’ll find drills; HER is a mentoring, networking, and life-coaching network.”
Today, it’s obvious that the demand was there.
“HER is doing very well. We have several hundred registrations, and it’s become a thriving platform,” Elekes Szentagotai said.
What the network does well is lower the threshold for everyone to engage in conversations in an environment where asking questions and sharing are encouraged.
“Fortunately, the conversations flow organically, which feels really good. HER is a safe space, but there’s also a lot of knowledge from all over the world, where all your hockey-related questions can be answered,” she said.
Sometimes the questions may touch hockey only tangentially while still being important for a coach or a coach-to-be.
“The platform is such a healthy place that members feel comfortable asking anything hockey-related, but also other questions, such as what to consider when moving to another country,” she said.
Members can also connect with others in the network to have private conversations.
About two months ago, HER was put to a true test when the IIHF launched an Ask Me Anything series in which the more experienced coaches in the network share their expertise.
“They take questions for an hour, sometimes even longer, because the conversations are filled with knowledge while enjoyable for everyone,” Elekes Szentagotai said.
“We want to spread the word as much as possible to grow this community even bigger. We’re definitely going to have a presence at various events wherever we can give HER visibility, and hopefully, down the line, there are going to be even bigger events and coaching conferences,” she added.
In just six months, hundreds of coaches have registered as users to network and share ideas.
That was the whole purpose of HER.
“We have so many amazing ambassadors and stories to share,” said Blanka Elekes Szentagotai, the IIHF Women’s Program Manager, to IIHF.com just weeks before the launch.
“The main focus of HER is life coaching, networking, and mentorship – women helping women. We’ve seen this in other historically male-dominated professions, from lawyers to doctors. Right around the globe, we’re encouraging female coaches to communicate online, get together in person, watch some hockey, and talk to one another, as well as with young female players,” she added.
While there is a growing number of opportunities for women in coaching, the lack of female coaches is still a real issue.
“We know from camps and other events that we’ve organized that woman-to-woman communication is just different. We know it works,” Elekes Szentagotai said. “What’s important to remember is that it’s not a place where you’ll find drills; HER is a mentoring, networking, and life-coaching network.”
Today, it’s obvious that the demand was there.
“HER is doing very well. We have several hundred registrations, and it’s become a thriving platform,” Elekes Szentagotai said.
What the network does well is lower the threshold for everyone to engage in conversations in an environment where asking questions and sharing are encouraged.
“Fortunately, the conversations flow organically, which feels really good. HER is a safe space, but there’s also a lot of knowledge from all over the world, where all your hockey-related questions can be answered,” she said.
Sometimes the questions may touch hockey only tangentially while still being important for a coach or a coach-to-be.
“The platform is such a healthy place that members feel comfortable asking anything hockey-related, but also other questions, such as what to consider when moving to another country,” she said.
Members can also connect with others in the network to have private conversations.
About two months ago, HER was put to a true test when the IIHF launched an Ask Me Anything series in which the more experienced coaches in the network share their expertise.
“They take questions for an hour, sometimes even longer, because the conversations are filled with knowledge while enjoyable for everyone,” Elekes Szentagotai said.
“We want to spread the word as much as possible to grow this community even bigger. We’re definitely going to have a presence at various events wherever we can give HER visibility, and hopefully, down the line, there are going to be even bigger events and coaching conferences,” she added.