Training an Athlete, Not a Player: The Next Generation of Female Coaches ft. Cassandra Vaccaro

Before Title IX, 90% of girls' sports teams were coached by women. Today it's 45%. The law that expanded girls' sports somehow cut the number of women coaching them in half.This week on Bulls Rise, our student edition, Coach P sits down with Cassandra Vaccaro, a USA Hockey Level 4 coach with bronze-level goaltending certification, a Zamboni driver for the Buffalo Sabres, and a full-time UB exercise science student heading into the graduate program. She started coaching at 19, she's frequently the only woman behind the bench, and she's on a mission to change that.Cass shares the staggering Title IX statistic, what it's like to be the first female coach most of her players have ever had, and why simply being visible changes what young girls believe is possible. She explains why early specialization may be the biggest detriment to youth athletes, shares the kid-friendly coaching cue that instantly fixed a young goalie, and walks through the serendipitous Canadian rink moment that combined her loves of coaching and research. She also offers honest, encouraging advice for any student feeling lost on their path.When asked what it means to rise, Cass said it best: be confident, forget the preconceived notions, know what you know, and don't be afraid to be wrong, because now you learn for next time.🎙️ Bulls Rise is the official podcast of the University at Buffalo Department of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences. Hosted by Dr. Chris Perry, PhD, CSCS.#BullsRise #WomenInSports #Hockey #TitleIX #ExerciseScience #UBENS #UniversityAtBuffalo