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Introducing the Coaching HER® Educational Champions Program

The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota is proud to announce the launch of the Coaching HER® Educational Champions Program, a new initiative designed to support professors, instructors, educators, coaching directors and institutions in integrating Coaching HER® education into academic coursework.

The Educational Champions Program offers faculty a meaningful opportunity to incorporate evidence-informed, free modules and courses into their curriculum; challenging conventional norms and rethinking what it means to coach and lead girls and women in sport. Coaching HER® provides transformative educational resources that prepare future coaches, educators, and leaders to lead with awareness, intention, and inclusivity.

What Is the Coaching HER® Educational Champions Program?

The Educational Champions Program equips instructors with ready-to-use, research-informed curriculum resources that can be seamlessly integrated into higher education, K–12 education, and coach development programss.

Educational Champions gain access to:

  • Complete study guides aligned with Coaching HER® educational content
  • Discussion questions designed to prompt reflection, dialogue, and critical thinking
  • Real-world application assignments that help students connect theory to coaching practice
  • Vocabulary activities that build shared language around equity, leadership, and inclusion in sport

All resources are free, easy to implement, and require no additional curriculum development by instructors.

Flexible by Design: Use What Fits Your Course

Recognizing the realities of busy academic and coaching environments, the Coaching HER® Educational Champions program is intentionally flexible.

Educational Champions can:

  • Assign entire Coaching HER® courses as a standalone learning experience
  • Integrate individual modules into existing classes or certification programs
  • Use materials as a supplement to enhance current instruction

Implementation Options:

  • Full Integration: Use all three courses across a semester.
  • Partial Integration: Select 2–3 courses or individual modules for focused learning.
  • Embedded Approach: Infuse key themes (body confidence, inclusion, menstrual health) throughout existing coursework.

Why Become an Educational Champion?

Incorporating Coaching HER® into your curriculum allows educational leaders, departments, programs and institutions to:

  • Prepare future coaches and sport leaders to meet the evolving needs of athletes.
  • Promote equity and inclusion in coaching practices.
  • Integrating Coaching HER® into the curriculum models gender-responsive pedagogy
  • Ground students in evidence-based strategies that increase retention and engagement among girls and women in sport.
  • Create a pipeline of leaders who can shape the future of athletics through culturally responsive, athlete-centered approaches.
  • Understand how gender influences athlete development helps coaches learn to adapt their coaching styles to better serve all athletes.
  • Provides an exemplar resource of a successful academic-industry partnership.
  • Produce highly sought-after graduates: Employers are increasingly seeking professionals with expertise in inclusive coaching practices.

Research is clear: coach education matters, not only for performance, but for the quality and sustainability of sport itself. The Coaching HER® Educational Champions Program removes barriers to access and provides practical tools to ensure that this education reaches future coaches and educators where it matters most—in the classroom and in coach development pathways.

Become an Educational Champion!

Access the Educational Champions folders

Discover available materials:

  • User guides for instructors and students
  • Foundational Course
  • Menstrual Health Course
  • Body Confident Course

Within each folder, you will find:

  • Study guides for each module
  • Assignments for each module
  • Key terms and vocabulary practice activities

Begin assigning Coaching HER® content

  • Assign all courses to create a complete Coaching HER® experience,
  • Or select specific modules that alilgn with your course outcomes and schedule.
  • Pair with ready-created assignments, study guides and vocabulary of your choice.