HCAC Announces Partnership with WeCOACH

By Press release submission

Aug 15, 2022

The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) is excited to announce a new professional development partnership with WeCOACH.

The HCAC is committed to furthering resources for the female members of the Heartland family. The partnership will provide membership for all professional female members of the HCAC, including coaches, administrative professionals, and support staff to WeCOACH. This year-round professional growth and leadership development program is designed specifically for Division III women coaches in all sports and will feature nationally renowned experts addressing timely topics impacting the coaching profession.

Commissioner Jay Jones reflected on the new partnership by noting, "I am really excited for this partnership, especially in light of recently celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX and the importance of what that legislation has meant for women in education. Being able to partner on a sports based educational initiative seemed idealic in that way, but more importantly this relationship helps us work towards our strategic vision of better serving underrepresented individuals across our conference and helping those individuals grow as professionals."

As a one-of-a-kind nonprofit organization with a mission to recruit, advance and retain women coaches in all sports and levels, the Development Program offers strategies to help navigate the challenges and obstacles women coaches face to stay in, feel supported, and advance in the coaching profession. Throughout the 2022-23 academic year, the inaugural Development Program participants will be offered three virtual sessions led by nationally renowned experts (fall, winter & spring), as well as have access to participate in the WeCOACH Mentor Program, WeAMPLIFY for women coaches of color, live video chats and more.

“As our nation celebrates Title IX at 50, WeCOACH is excited to offer this year-round Development Program for women coaches in Divisions II and III," shared Vanessa Fuchs, CEO of WeCOACH. "We salute the leadership in those conferences who have committed to participate in the first year of the program. WeCOACH serves women coaches in all sports and all levels. One of our organization’s goals is to make our critical programming accessible and affordable for women coaches working in every level of sport. This new Development Program does just that for Division II and III coaches.”

The HCAC is just one of eight NCAA conferences to formalize a partnership with WeCOACH, and the second in Division III, joining the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). WeCoach’s release is going to speak to various conference sponsorships, so let’s wait and see if we can borrow that language.

For more information about WeCOACH and features of its partnership with the HCAC, visit the WeCOACH website at wecoachsports.org. For more information on all things HCAC, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.