Women's Basketball | 11/15/2018 12:03:00 AM

 
MONTREAL -- Former McGill varsity hockey players and long-time benefactors, David Kerr (BSc '65) and Sheryl Kerr, (BCom'67), were honoured recently for their transformational gift designed to support the advancement of women as athletes, coaches and decision-makers. The Kerrs flew in from Toronto to meet the first wave of McGill student-athletes and coaches impacted by their generous donation and to sign the paperwork on their $3.5 million donation to McGill University Athletics and Recreation.
 

"We felt that it was important to provide female athletes at McGill with additional opportunities and support networks and to give something back to the program that did so much for us," said Sheryl Kerr.
 
The impact of the Kerr Family Women in Sport program has been immediate, increasing the number of female assistant coaches in McGill's level one sports from 13.3 per cent to 38.1. Kelsey Wilson (soccer), and Rikki Bowles (basketball) have been added to the full-time coaching staff with another appointment in volleyball expected in the coming months. Sylvie Béliveau, a former national team coach and women's sports advocate, was appointed to steward the project as senior advisor to the varsity programs.

"The number of female coaches at McGill was below industry standard, which isn't good enough for a University that prides itself on inclusion, diversity and innovation," said Marc Gélinas, executive director of McGill Athletics and Recreation. "We're extremely grateful to Sheryl and David for allowing us to address the gender gap in coaching and champion the cause of women in sport in such a powerful and lasting manner."
 
The program is designed to provide the resources needed to build personalized professional development programs to help women enhance their expertise and skill sets and become strong candidates for head coaching positions. Services will also be available to enrich the experiences of McGill female student-athletes and assist in their pursuit of professional excellence in the career of their choice.

It's not the first time that the Kerr family has made a significant gift to the varsity program. In 2007, they donated a million dollars for the creation of a second full-time coaching position with the Martlets hockey program. It made national headlines at the time as the largest-ever gift for a women's university sports team in Canada. The Martlets won their first-ever national championship the next year and went on to capture four national titles in seven years.

A direct beneficiary of that first gift is Alyssa Cecere, a former left-winger for McGill who won three championship rings with the Martlets, as well as a Clarkson Cup national title in the Canadian Women's Hockey League. She is now in her fifth season as a full-time assistant coach with the team.
 
The Kerrs met during their varsity career at McGill when they played for the hockey Martlets and Redmen, respectively.

"McGill was an important part of our past and hockey was a really great part of that experience," said David Kerr.