Ottawa, Ont. - Softball Canada proudly recognizes Women’s National Team Head Coach Kaleigh Rafter on her recent completion of the prestigious International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP). Selected as one of the top candidates internationally, Rafter was chosen among thousands of national-level coaches in various organized sports. She is the first Canadian coach to be accepted into and complete the program since its inception in 2008, marking a historic achievement for both softball and coaching in Canada. 

Rafter’s participation in the ICECP reflects her unwavering commitment to advancing softball and marks a significant step forward for the future of coach development across the country. 

In partnership with Olympic Solidarity and the University of Delaware, the ICECP is a globally recognized coaching program that provides advanced education to enhance coaching knowledge and expertise, recognizing participants as leaders at the highest level of their profession. Through this program, national-level coaches focus on specialized knowledge to identify and develop athletic talent, empowering them to train their peers effectively. Participants are expected to return to their nation as key builders of coaching in their respective sports. 

As part of her ICECP project, Rafter aimed to implement a strategy that would enhance coaching education within the game, with the overarching goal of growing the sport of softball in Canada. Rafter aimed to improve softball education in Canada by modernizing athlete development strategies while incorporating contemporary sports science. Rafter, in collaboration with Softball Canada, initiated the High-Performance Coach Development Program to foster long-term advancements in Canadian softball coaching.  

The program thoroughly addressed all aspects of softball, including hitting, pitching, and defensive concepts, while incorporating multimedia learning and structured assignments. The program included pre-test and post-test evaluations to assess its effectiveness, yielding significantly positive results in terminology, decision-making, and skill identification, demonstrating the program as a tremendous success and a notable breakthrough in the future of softball coaching in Canada. 

Rafter’s success in the ICECP and the launch of this new development program represent both a personal milestone and a strategic advancement for softball in Canada. By raising coaching standards and expanding access to high-quality resources, her work lays a strong foundation for developing the next generation of athletes.

Learn more about the ICECP click here.