Coaching Crossover Ep 7: Chantal Vallée and Graham Roxburgh

In episode 7 of Coaching Crossover we brought two old acquaintances back together from the U Sports world, which offers yet another case and point that coaching, no matter the sport, is a very small community. Chantal Vallée is one of the most accomplished figures in Canadian university basketball. Taking over the University of Windsor program in 2005, Vallée built the Lancers into a national powerhouse, leading them to five U Sports Women's Basketball Championship titles (2011-2016) and establishing one of the most dominant dynasties in Canadian collegiate sport. Known for her intense competitiveness, defensive-minded systems, and emphasis on culture and accountability, she has earned multiple Coach of the Year honors and widespread respect across the basketball community. Vallée was the recipient of the prestigious Athena Award in 2012 for contributions to her community and mentoring future women leaders and in 2013, she was presented with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee medal. Since taking over as head coach for Trinity Western in 1999, he has established the Spartans as one of the top programs in U Sports. He has guided the TWU to five U SPORTS national championships and eight Canada West gold medals. He was named U Sports Coach of the Year in 2011 and has been named Canada West Coach of the Year five times. Roxburgh has twice been the head coach for Canada's women's soccer team at the Summer Universiade, including 2009, where his team finished seventh, and in 2011, where his team finished fifth. Roxburgh also serves as the director of TeamUp, which works to "partner, collaborate and come alongside local organizations, and use sports either as a catalyst for the beginning of sustainable impact, or a component of a long-term community development strategy." Both coaches connected in the past through their philanthropy and in this conversation, we will talk about that work, what their recruitment trail looks like and holding onto a championship culture with roster turnover.