Amateur Sport, Professional Career!
How often do Islanders move back from out West to work on PEI? This fall Island Gymnastics Academy is adding a second full-time coach who is returning back home. The Academy employs eight full-time coaches who have made a career out of coaching.
Janet Duval starts this week at the Academy coaching in both the recreation and competitive programs. After years of coaching in Ontario and BC, Duval decided it was time to come home. In addition to her NCCP Level 3 certification, Duval is also a National level women’s judge and will assume the role of Judging Chairperson for Gymnastics PEI’s Women’s Technical Committee.
C.J. Keliher also moved back from coaching in Victoria, B.C. to work full-time for Island Gymnastics Academy a few years back. Keliher is the Men’s Program Director at the Academy and recently received a grant from the 2009 Canada Games Legacy Trust fund to work as the Men’s Canada Games coach heading towards the 2019 Games. This spring, Keliher completed the final module of the NCCP Level 4 coaching certification. This prestigious course is offered to elite coaches in Canada by invitation only. PEI has just a handful of Level 4 coaches, one of which is Academy founder Jim Rand.
“A big reason why coaches want to work for us and athletes want to train with us, is that we have a strong focus on coach education and professional development. In the next two weeks alone, we are doing a session on positive teaching methodology with retired educator Lloyd Mallard, a First-Aid refresher course, and most exciting: a week long-time training camp with Olympic coach Kelly Manjak.”, says Club Administrator Lea Rand.
Island Gymnastics Academy 