Carolyn McEwen’s development as a coach has accelerated through being part of the Gallagher High Performance Academy (GHPA).
Carolyn was previously part of the GHPA WXV 2024 programme, having been attached to the Canada Women’s national squad’s coaching team and given responsibility for coaching the scrum.
“All the staff and, in particular, the coaching staff and analysts, spent a lot of time with me to orient me to the environment and include me in all aspects,” Carolyn told World Rugby.
“They were all open and generous with their time and knowledge. I was included in coaching and staff meetings, and attended practices and games. I took the lead on coaching the scrum for the Women’s XV – preview, practice, competition, review – and I was involved in both the collective coaching and player leadership review.
“I was treated as a member of the coaching staff, which I appreciated and found very valuable.
“The opportunity to be integrated with the national team created opportunities for formal and informal learning and involvements.
“I developed relationships with the national team staff and had the opportunity to learn from other coaches, both on the GHPA programme and the Canadian staff.
“I was given space and opportunity for reflecting on my coaching practice and received feedback from a wide variety of sources.”
Carolyn had Maria Gallo as her mentor on the GHPA WXV 2024 programme and enjoyed the sessions she had with the former Canada international player, who was also team manager of Canada’s men’s team.
“I already had a strong relationship with Maria and I really enjoyed working with her,” McEwen said.
“I value the mentor relationship and I also work with her in multiple capacities and domains.
“She acted as a sounding board, provided information – for example on expectations and how they function – on the senior national team environment, which made me more comfortable and helped me to know what questions to ask.
“Maria was also an advocate for me.”
Carolyn was a late starter in rugby, not playing her first game until she was 22, having switched from a very different sport, figure skating, where she competed at national level, and then bobsleigh racing.
However, Carolyn made rapid progress once she swapped sequins for studs, winning international honours with Canada as a loose-head prop before moving into coaching as forwards coach of the University of British Columbia, and Canada’s women’s team.
“After retirement, I didn’t initially have a desire to coach, but I was encouraged to help the university team I had played for and to give back,” Carolyn told World Rugby.
“Providing opportunities for athletes was what kept bringing me back and currently pushes me to be a better coach.”
Her background in figure skating helps Carolyn to bring a different perspective to her coaching, as do her professional qualifications as associate professor of teaching at UBC.
“I bring knowledge from different and diverse contexts to my coaching practice, such as expertise in evidence and scientifically informed coaching, training in sport psychology and mental skills consulting,” she said.
“Working as a high-level figure skating official means that I value engaging with diverse ways of thinking and doing in sport.
“My career as an educational leadership professor in kinesiology at a university allows me to bring strong pedagogical knowledge and practice to rugby spaces.”
Carolyn is looking forward to continuing her coaching journey on the GHPA RWC 2025 programme.
