Emma DeLory hopes that the Gallagher High Performance Academy will encourage national governing bodies to invest in developing women coaches.
DeLory’s first experience of coaching came in a very different sport, figure skating, but she is now deeply embedded in rugby. She is employed full-time as a performance coach by Rugby Novia Scotia, with part-time roles as women’s head coach of St Mary’s University, the Atlantic Women Under-19 team and Team Novia Scotia in the Canada Games Sevens. She is also the attack coach of Canada East Under-18 Women.
DeLory was Canada’s team manager at Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand and will now share her coaching experiences with similarly motivated coaches on the Gallagher High Performance Academy.
“Programmes like this show leadership internationally. I am so grateful to Gallagher for supporting this project and I hope that one day unions will be able to, not only be a part of programmes like this, but will put their own money on the line to highlight how important it is to support women in coaching,” DeLory told World Rugby.
“Women in general bring a different point of view into the world of coaching and performance sport. We are empathetic and can often view the big picture, including who the athlete is outside of sport.
“We communicate differently and ask a lot of questions in order to understand the purpose behind an action or statement.
“Women in performance sport – a typically male-dominated industry – have had to make a lot of sacrifices to be successful at the top level.
“Companies like Gallagher help support women who want to prove that women deserve to be at the top levels of sport.”
DeLory first played rugby in high school, but it was her early experience of coaching figure skating that set her on the path that has taken her to the Gallagher High Performance Academy.
“I coached in another sport, so when I started playing rugby it was a natural progression for me,” she said.
“Building a strong team culture is key. There are not many successful teams that don’t have a positive culture. It’s what keeps players motivated and engaged. It creates fans and support. It creates a legacy.”