As women’s soccer steps to the forefront of the national consciousness, Pronghorn Athletics is proud to present Canadian Senior Women’s National Soccer Team head coach John Herdman as the featured speaker for the 2015 Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast, Tuesday, September 29, 2015 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym.

Canada is the home nation for both the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Pan Am Games this year, and Herdman is front and centre as the leader of the Canadian women’s side at each of these landmark tournaments.

Canada is the home nation for both the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Pan Am Games this year, and Herdman is front and centre as the leader of the Canadian women’s side.

“Women’s soccer in Canada has never been given the exposure that these two international events bring, so it is very exciting and timely to be able to have John Herdman as our featured speaker,” says Robb Engen, manager of Business Development, Sport and Recreation Services. “Under Herdman, the Canadian women have experienced their greatest successes, and the work he’s done to instill a high performance culture within the Canadian women’s soccer community will no doubt lead to a very inspiring presentation.”

English born, Herdman first came to prominence on the international stage as the head coach of the New Zealand Women’s National Football Team from 2006 through 2011, leading the team into two FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

As New Zealand’s Director of Football Development, Herdman introduced changes that revolutionized how soccer is organized and delivered with his award-winning Whole of Football Plan.

He took over as coach of the Canadian national squad in 2011 and the side experienced immediate success, winning its first ever Pan Am Games gold medal in Mexico. In the summer of 2012, Herdman and the Canadians stunned the soccer world with a bronze medal victory at the Summer Olympic Games in London.

A nominee for the 2012 FIFA Coach of the Year Award, Herdman brings with him a message of achievement, learning to overcome adversity with grace, and the role of leaders to inspire trust, confidence and success, whether on the field, in the workplace or in the home.

The Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast was launched in 2012 during the University’s 45th anniversary, and raises money for U of L athletes now and into the future. Its goal is to continue to provide essential funding as the Horns continue to build and maintain a competitive athletic program.

Past speakers featured at the event include CBC Sports personality Brian Williams, Olympic gold medallist Mark Tewksbury and hall of fame swim coach Debbie Muir. Last year, Calgary Flames President of Hockey Operations, Brian Burke, was the event headliner.

“This event has proven to be an excellent opportunity for Pronghorn Athletics to engage the broader community and give our supporters the opportunity to access some really outstanding speakers and leaders,” says Engen. “The scholarship funding achieved through this event is crucial in terms of our ability to recruit elite level athletes to the program and to support those athletes once they are on campus in striving for success.”

Tickets for the 2015 Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast (Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness Gymnasium, 7 to 9 a.m.) are priced at $125 each or $1,000 for a table of 10. To register for the breakfast, visit uleth.universitytickets.com.

There are also plenty of sponsorship opportunities for the event. Those interested can contact Robb Engen at 403-332-5253 or robb.engen@uleth.ca.