Darren Horn already has an accomplished resume when it comes to coaching volleyball, but heSA国际影视传媒檚 about to add another line to that.

And it may be the biggest one yet.

The longtime coach from Yellowknife is in St. Catharines, Ont., to assist with the 2023 Youth National Team WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Canada Cup program under the Volleyball Canada banner. Horn is one of eight coaches from around the country who have been invited to help a group of 26 players who start arriving Thursday.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the first year for the program, which is one level below the Next Gen program, and that program feeds into the senior national team. The ultimate end goal will be to have Team Canada Red and Team Canada White compete at the 2023 Canada Cup from July 19 to 23 at Canada Games Park and Brock University in St. Catharines.

Horn said the chance to apply to take part came out of the blue and he found out about it while recovering from knee surgery in January.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese sorts of opportunities arenSA国际影视传媒檛 advertised publicly and I thought about it when I heard,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淥n the last day, I told myself, SA国际影视传媒榃hat the heck?SA国际影视传媒� and tossed my name into the hat. You donSA国际影视传媒檛 know if you donSA国际影视传媒檛 try.SA国际影视传媒�

HornSA国际影视传媒檚 application included references from coaches in Yellowknife, but he rated his chances of getting invited around the same as a snowballSA国际影视传媒檚 chance in hell.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople were asking me if I had heard and I told them no, so I figured they had gone with other people,SA国际影视传媒� said Horn.

But it was while he was at Stanton Territorial Hospital getting some bloodwork done that he received the call he thought would never come.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 sitting in the chair and I get the call telling me that I was invited,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 very nearly fell out of my chair as we were going over the role that I would be playing.SA国际影视传媒�

That role is as a guest coach, and there are several responsibilities Horn will have while heSA国际影视传媒檚 at the camp. It began with some online training prior to leaving for St. Catharines with help from Carolyn OSA国际影视传媒橠wyer, head coach of the Next Gen program.

SA国际影视传媒淪he went through the systems with us and all the key points to watch for,SA国际影视传媒� said Horn.

The on-court business will happen twice per day for the duration of the camp, which ends on July 18. There will be classroom sessions and video work for all the players; Horn said the film sessions will give the athletes a chance to watch and review their play on the court and debrief with each other.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese are amazing athletes,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e arenSA国际影视传媒檛 expecting them to be at a really top-notch level, but this is a way to get them used to the (national team) system and what they can expect if they decide to stay with it.SA国际影视传媒�

Getting to St. Catharines was pretty much all out-of-pocket for Horn. There wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 any funding available to him from anywhere in the NWT SA国际影视传媒� both Sport North and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs have funding for coaching development, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 geared for Northern-based programs.

SA国际影视传媒淚 thought about it and wondered how I would be able to afford to go,SA国际影视传媒� said Horn. SA国际影视传媒淚t was my wife who told me to go and weSA国际影视传媒檇 figure it out. She said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and when would I be able to do something like this again?SA国际影视传媒�

While Horn will be working on player development, itSA国际影视传媒檚 also coaching development for him, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 hoping to be able to bring something back to the NWT,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭here are seven other coaches and ISA国际影视传媒檒l be learning from them, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 a great personal development opportunity. I think there will be a chance to learn some new things and bring the NWT up to speed with whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happening at the national level.SA国际影视传媒�