BC HOCKEY AWARDS: ERNIE GARE COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD - CAMILLE MCFARLANE
By MARIO ANNICCHIARICO
For Camille McFarlane, it’s not only a case of where does she find the time, but how she makes good use of it.
The bench boss of the Victoria Reign U15 C1 team, of Capital Region Female Minor Hockey Association, was named the Ernie Gare Coach of the Year Award recipient by BC Hockey, claiming the prestigious award in just her first season as a head coach.
McFarlane served as an assistant coach for three prior seasons, including the U13 A team last year, where she qualified as an NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) Development 1 coach and has proven her dedication to the art of coaching, said her nominator, Ian Fleetwood.
“Speaking from the role of president, I've observed Camille to be constantly developing her skills as a coach. She participates in coach development offerings from our minor hockey association and takes time to present her thoughts about player development, team formation and coaching to the board in a constructive and influential manner,” he stated. “From this perspective, she also helps promote and develop local infrastructure for coaching.”
Her calm demeanor, patience, acceptance of all players and status as an excellent role model also led to the nomination. While she performs those duties, she is also a mother and a principal in the Sooke School District.
“It’s exciting. It’s an honour, for sure. There are so many good coaches in B.C. and I’ve been able to coach with many of them and, as a female coach, it’s significant in that sense and it has a lot of meaning,” said McFarlane, of winning the award.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of people support me through this great association. I had a great team this year, they were such a joy to coach. We were fortunate that we had some success, but most of the success was just getting to spend time with them and watch them develop as players and people. That’s what was so special.”
Her U15 C1 team won two tournaments (Nanaimo Female Coastal Classic in December and WickFest Surrey in February). The team also claimed its regular season league championship banner and was also victorious in the league playoffs.
“Championships and banners speak to her aptitude as a coach and success on the ice is great, but the true success of her season was the way she developed and inspired her team to be better and was able to support all players regardless of their prior experience level playing hockey,” stated Fleetwood. “She really brought this group of girls together, focussed not only on hockey, but on friendship, teamwork and leadership.”
Something she is proud of.
“You always want them to do well and encourage them, but we had such a diverse range of players – five brand new, or new to hockey, and then full range, with some rep players from last year. It was quite a range of abilities. They really came together as a team, that’s what was so special about it,” said McFarlane, who was humbled that it all came in her first year of head coaching.
“You’re the one responsible for making everything go,” she said of the change in position. “The benefit is being able to create a plan - after our first practice and game, being able to think about it, meeting with my assistants.
“I was fortunate to have great assistants and a great manager, which helps make a great team, and great parents as well. I was able to propose a plan to the team, coaches and parents and get that buy-in.
“To be able to do that is different as a head coach, because I set the tone and get to invite everybody in. That was my goal - to make sure that everybody who came to the rink not only had fun and learned and worked hard, but to have fun playing hockey. That was different, for sure.”
Originally from Alberta, McFarlane began playing hockey at age three with her brothers before they all went into figure skating in Caroline. There were definite barriers as a female player in a small town and she ended up figure skating up through high school. However, hockey was always huge in the area and in nearby Sylvan Lake.
She eventually returned to the game in the Intramural program at the University of Calgary.
Eventually moving west, her daughter Clara was placed into the First Shift program with the Reign and club coaches found out McFarlane, herself, could skate and asked her to come out on the ice as a helper. She was encouraged to enter the coaching programs and it led to her current position.
Next year she will be opening a new school as principal, which will keep her busy, but she hopes to find a way to stay involved in hockey. Claiming the Ernie Gare Coach of the Year Award will likely drive her on.