New coach for the women’s basketball team
By Eric Wilkins, Sports Editor
The Christmas break is a good opportunity for teams to regroup and come back for a fresh start. For the women’s basketball team, that fresh start will be led by a fresh face, as Courtney Gerwing has been hired as the new interim head coach.
Gerwing comes to the Royals with a decorated resumé. She was a five-time Academic All-Canadian during her playing career with SFU, a recipient of the Sylvia Sweeney Award, an assistant coach with SFU for three seasons, and a Gordon M Shrum Scholarship winner. Needless to say, she’s walked the walk.
Athletic Director Paul Cohee was pleased that the college was able to secure Gerwing’s services: “We are, of course, very excited to have coach Gerwing join our team of coaches as the interim head coach. Her long list of successes, both academically and athletically, make her a fantastic role model for all of our young athletes. The fact that she stayed three years as an assistant coach at a quality program like SFU’s speaks volumes to the experience she gained and the confidence that program had in her ability to coach at the University/NCAA level. She is clearly very talented and we believe she will help the team finish their season strong.”
Cohee also spoke to the faith they have in Gerwing as she takes on her first head coaching gig: “Yes, this is a new challenge for Courtney, but her record shows that she is accustomed to rise and overcome them with glowing success. I would not expect this opportunity to be any different for her.”
Chloe Kennedy, one of the team’s captains, also commented on the coaching change. “It’s a whole new perspective and a breath of fresh air. It’s definitely a different style but I think we’re going to do really well.”
The fact that the change comes mid-season has done nothing to deter the confidence of Gerwing. “I have some familiarity with the program and some of the administrative staff who have been incredible in helping the program continue to run smoothly. Any adjustments are part of sport: a new league, new teams to play, things that I am excited about. Coming from coaching and playing in the NCAA D2 and CIS, I believe I bring a level of commitment and competitiveness that I hope to instil in our team and our program.”
And while she’s excited for the new challenge, Gerwing has wasted little time in getting down to business: “It is a tough transition for the team because it is mid-season, but we have been practicing hard and we are learning some new systems. They have a great base of basketball knowledge to start with and are picking things up quickly. So far I’m really pleased with our progress, especially on the defensive end.”
