"From a faith perspective, it’s embracing who God made us to be. Our size, our shape and our abilities. ...I think the church needs to celebrate those things."
— Cheryl Jean-Paul, Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach
Cheryl Jean-Paul, Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach, has led the Spartans program into high levels of national success.
Trinity Western Spartans is known for its Complete Champion Approach that trains athletes in their athletic, leadership, character and spiritual development.
Since coming to TWU, Coach Jean-Paul has led the Spartans into the Canada West playoffs in five of the last six seasons. Internationally, Jean-Paul was most recently the head coach of Canada’s FIBA U16 Women’s America’s Championship team in 2019, winning a silver medal. She has also been the co-facilitator for the basketball portion of the Special Olympics: Canada Summer Games 2014.
Recently, Jean-Paul was featured on 100 Huntley Street, a Canadian television program, in which she shared her faith and career journey, and her work in mentoring female Black coaches in Canada.
"COVID has been a blessing, to be honest, with the ability to create this community of Black coaches and mentoring Black female coaches," she said. "You’re going to have someone who’s going to support your journey."
She also spoke on a Christian perspective on diversity. "From a faith perspective, it’s embracing who God made us to be. Our size, our shape and our abilities."
"I think the church needs to celebrate those things."
Speaking of her own role as one of Canada's first female Black coaches in collegiate basketball, Jean-Paul said, "This is who God made me to be, and I want to be celebrated in that, and I want to celebrate others as well."
Jean-Paul is known for turning TWU's basketball program around and bringing it to its current level of excellence. This journey was not without challenge, however. Through the difficulties, Jean-Paul relied on her faith in God and her sense of calling.
"I felt that God called me to be here," she said. "God blessed me with the determination to see through the vision that I was initially called."
Jean-Paul is grateful for her community of supporters and for family members who have prayed for her and her team. As a community, they demonstrated persistence and determination.
"There are so many blessings that come with sticking with it even when it gets hard," she said.
Watch Coach Jean-Paul's full interview on 100 Huntley Street.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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