Variety Ontario’s Jessica Cunha Doesn’t "Rush The Process" As VOLT Hockey Expansion Coordinator

As the VOLT Hockey Expansion Coordinator, my job is to expand the sport to other communities in Ontario and support the expansion of the program in other provinces across Canada as well. I am also in charge of recruiting players to the Variety Ontario team, maintaining inventory and equipment, attending special events promoting the sport, planning trial session and planning games and tournaments for the teams.

There is no typical day per-se, with the different things I have to do, but oftentimes it encompasses communicating with different organizations about what VOLT Hockey is and planning/ attending trial sessions. When I’m not doing those, I’m working on creating the VOLT Hockey manual and coaching manual and working alongside my coworkers on planning and executing a strategic development plan to ensure that we are on the correct path to expand the program.

3Take us through the realization that a career in sport was right for you.

I was the person who loved playing sports; that is, figure skating, soccer, baseball, hockey and occasionally volleyball and basketball. Anything that had me moving essentially. I also really enjoyed science though and tried to figure out how to combine the two passions.

It wasn’t until my final year of studying Kinesiology that I knew I wanted to pursue a path in sport. My Portuguese Studies Professor at York University, Professor Dodman, was really the one who encouraged me to apply to Humber College for their Sports Management program.

From there, I received all kinds of experiences. I travelled to Florida and visited IMG Academy, and went to Arviat, Nunavut to bring the sport to the local youth, then shortly afterwards I started my internship with the Invictus Games Toronto 2017. The last two experiences just showed me how sport can impact the health and well-being of individuals and I loved that feeling. I wanted more of it.

After the Games, I worked for the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and then found myself at Variety Ontario working two programs, the VOLT Hockey program and the Rehabilitation to Community program and I’ve been loving both.
What has always stuck by me however, the last 12 years, has been my coaching.

I coach power skating (for hockey players) and figure skating and I’ve learned the most about myself as a leader in my experiences. It’s one thing to be an athlete, but it’s another to coach them. They depend on you to not only teach them the techniques, but to also be there to calm their minds, understand their troubles, and be their support when they’re just having a rough day/week/year. They don’t care about the experience you have as a coach; they care about you being there for them.

Sport is used as a positive outlet, and for many, to heal from their problems. It’s this experience that I use to continuously humble me as I progress in my career, and it’s these lessons that I try to take and share in all the jobs I have done so far.

4What are three of your greatest accomplishments thus far?

1. Graduating university: I struggled in my second- and third-year, juggling 2 jobs and full-time school. But I managed to change some of my failing or almost failing grades to a B+/A the following years.
2. First competition as a coach: A massive milestone for me. I was more anxious than my skaters competing but learned how to set that aside and be present for them to calm their nerves.
3. Running a VOLT Hockey March Break Camp: I was still very new to the position, but I managed to use my power skating drills to teach the participants how to play VOLT Hockey. I had two amazing placement students with me too who helped me, and by the end of the week, all of the kids were independently using the chairs.