BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Gulf South Conference partnered with WeCOACH to participate in the organization's inaugural Women Coaches Development Program. 
 
Initially launched by WeCOACH in August 2022, this professional growth and leadership development program supports D-II & D-III women coaches across all sports by offering year-round events focused on timely issues impacting the coaching profession.
 
"The response to this program has been remarkable, and we are grateful for the leadership in each of the 40 conferences for investing in the growth and development of their women coaches. Our goal is for this program to have transformational impact on thousands of women coaches in Divisions II and III for many years to come," said WeCOACH CEO Vanessa Fuchs.
 
"The opportunity to partner with WeCOACH came at a great time for the GSC and our member institutions. As a conference, we are seeking ways to invest in the future of the industry through opportunities for development, training, and mentorship for coaches, administrators and officials," said GSC Commissioner Matt Wilson. "I am thankful for Vanessa's vision and leadership in this space."
 
The program offers a number of different opportunities for participants to engage throughout the year, highlighted by three 90-minute Development Sessions (fall, winter, & spring). The Fall Development Session begins today featuring Lisa Auld, LPC, NCC, and founder of Connection Counseling and Coaching, who will lead a conversation around "Mental Health Matters: How to Support Your Student-Athletes, Your Staff, and Yourself." 
 
An additional element of the program includes efforts to actively build the pipeline of Division II & III women coaches through "Catch a Vision" workshops designed for aspiring women coaches—the first will be held Sunday, December 11, 2022 and will be open to any women aspiring to coach at any level of sport (youth, club, high school, college, professional, etc.). These workshops will provide best practices for securing coaching opportunities, networking, and career strategy.
 
About WeCOACH:
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH is a one-of-a-kind nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches in all sports and levels through year-round professional growth & leadership development programs. Prior to Title IX, over 90% of women's collegiate sports teams were coached by women. Today, 50 years later, data indicates that number has decreased to a stagnant 43% in Division I (41% in all three NCAA Divisions), with only 7.3% women coaches of color. A dearth 5% women coach men's teams, and at the youth level, the data is hard to estimate (approx. <20% of teams are coached by women). As part of its year-long Title IX 50th Anniversary campaign, WeCOACH launched MOVE the NUMBERS to help change the landscape for women coaches and to impact history for the next 50 years. For more information visit wecoachsports.org/50th.
 
About Gulf South Conference:
The Gulf South Conference is a charter NCAA Division II member based in Birmingham, Ala., that sponsors 19 sports, 18 annual championships, and has won 54 NCAA team titles. The GSC is comprised of 13 member institutions — The University of Alabama Huntsville, Auburn University at Montgomery, Christian Brothers University, Delta State University, Lee University, Mississippi College, University of Montevallo, Shorter University, Union University, Valdosta State University, University of West Alabama, University of West Florida, and University of West Georgia.