Advanced Coaching Diploma Graduate - Ryan Schroffel

With the intention of studying to becoming a school teacher, Ryan Schroffel couldn’t deny being pulled towards a career that’s so deeply rooted in his blood: coaching. His grandfather was a football coach and his mom was a school teacher, so the innate characteristic of teaching lead him to become a coach.

While attending and playing tennis at University of Alberta, Ryan volunteered at his local tennis club whenever they were in need of a kid’s coach. The more he coached and got involved, the more he considered coaching as a career and that’s when opportunities started to present themselves.

His favorite part about coaching is understanding the impact he as a coach can make on an athlete’s life and the role that sports and athletics plays in their life as a junior or adult. “Whether it’s the athlete’s day-to-day, stress management or self-esteem tool, or you as a coach are trying to push and encourage an athlete to do something that they never believed they could” says Ryan about his impact as a coach.

Ryan was first introduced to the ACD after a friend spoke so highly of the program. “For me personally and professionally, it was the most valuable course I have taken throughout my coaching career”, expresses Ryan. “The ability to engage with other coaches across different sports and have conversations that are different than you’ve have with your fellow colleagues and your ability to engage with the experts was very valuable.”

It’s often easy for coaches to stay within the lane of their own sports in terms of coach education, however Ryan encourages coaches from all ends of the sport spectrum to enroll in this program full of experts. “I believe it’s really suited for any coach in a leadership position or a coach who has spent time in the industry because they can bring their experience and apply it throughout the course”. He credits his mentor, coach Claudio __ for his ability to push him along the way, continue to ask him questions and brainstorm on different ways of doing things within sport.

Ryan hopes to maintain the connection and relationships he developed throughout the program and take the knowledge gained throughout the course to some new projects and see where those opportunities take him next.