The WBCA looks to its member coaches to provide direction for and assist with the conduct of its programs and events, to promote and distribute information about the association and sport, and to choose recipients for the most prominent coach and player awards presented in women’s and girls’ basketball.
Volunteer opportunities may require only a limited amount of time – such as responding to a series of short e-surveys – or may require a multi-year commitment of service on a committee. Regardless of how a member coach may want to participate, we will find a role for them. With their help, the association’s voice is made stronger and its ability to affect and promote the sport becomes more powerful.
Here are ways to volunteer. Complete and return the volunteer interest form if you wish to be added to our pool of volunteer candidates.
Volunteer Opportunities
- WBCA Board of Directors — The WBCA Board of Directors selects the persons who serve on it. However, member coaches may declare their interest in serving on the board when positions for which they are eligible become available. There are 15 coach director positions on the board — five for NCAA Division I head coaches, three for NCAA Division II head coaches, three for NCAA Division III head coaches, one for an NAIA head coach, one for a two-year college head coach, one for a scholastic (high school) head coach, and one for an assistant coach from any membership division. The WBCA notifies member coaches by email when there is an opening (a person leaves at the end of their term) in their division which includes a link to an online form to apply for consideration. Applicants must be 21 or older and a member in good standing for at least the previous two years. The board and its nominating committee place great weight on an applicant’s years of experience as a coach and record of past and continuing service to the WBCA in one or more of the roles below. A coach director serves a term of three years and may be re-selected to a second three-year term. The board meets three times each year — twice in person (at the WBCA Convention and in the summer) and once by videoconference. Additional meetings may be called by the president when necessary.
- Conference Captains (NCAA Divisions I, III and NAIA) — Conference captains are head coaches (one from each conference in their respective divisions) who serve as conduits of information both to and from their peers at the grassroots level. An NCAA Division I captain is selected by his/her conference and serves year to year (no term limit) at the pleasure of the conference. An NCAA Division III captain is selected by his/her conference and typically serves one three-year term, but may serve additional terms as warranted. An NAIA captain is selected by the WBCA office and serves year to year. [There are no NCAA Division II conference captains as the NCAA conducts conference connector meetings in that division.] Depending on the division, captains participate in four to five videoconferences throughout the year and may occasionally have an in-person meeting during the WBCA Convention. Captains provide feedback on WBCA programs and initiatives and legislative proposals related to women’s basketball, share concerns raised by other head coaches within their respective conferences, distribute reports from their meetings to the head coaches in their conference, and act as ambassadors for the association. Because of the importance of the position within the WBCA governing structure, the WBCA Board of Directors prefers board applicants have experience as a conference captain.
- Assistant Coaches Committee – The Assistant Coaches Committee is composed of three assistant coaches from each of the six divisions of WBCA membership (NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, two-year college, scholastic). The Assistant Coaches Committee selects the Assistant Coaches of the Year in each membership division and may also discuss ideas for programming targeting assistant coaches at the WBCA Convention. Committee members serve a four-year term. Coaches are nominated for and elected to open positions on the committee by their peers each fall.
- Awards Committees – There are six awards committees — one in each of the six membership divisions. Each divisional awards committee selects the Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, and Coaches’ All-America team in that division. The NCAA Division I Awards Committee also selects the Wade Trophy, Rookie Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year recipients in that division. The term of service on each awards committee is four years. Head coaches are nominated for and elected to open positions on the awards committee in their respective divisions by their peers each fall.
- NCAA Division I, II and III Top 25 Coaches’ Poll Committees – Head coaches may volunteer for three-year terms on poll committees which rank the teams in their respective divisions each week during the season. In NCAA Division I, each conference selects its “poll voter” who serves unlimited terms of three years. In NCAA Division II, the three NCAA Division II coach directors on the WBCA Board of Directors work with the WBCA staff to identify a voter in each conference who serves year to year at the pleasure of the association. In NCAA Division III, the WBCA staff identifies one voter in each of the 10 regions who also serves year to year at the pleasure of the association. Members of these committees are required to submit their ballots by noon ET Tuesday in each week of the season.
- Speak at a WBCA event – A call for speakers is issued each year in late summer/early fall for those who have an interest in presenting on a topic of their choosing during the WBCA Convention or in other WBCA educational events that may be held throughout the year.