VANCOUVER – Telus announced Wednesday that it will become the official telecommunications, digital health and home security partner for Canada Soccer.
The multi-year partnership kicks off by helping “ensure more women and girls enjoy the benefits of soccer” with the telecom becoming the title partner of the Telus She Can Coach program, the press release said. The program recruits, develops and trains female soccer coaches.
The release notes that “less than on per cent of women are actively working as professional coaches and decision-making members on national and provincial boards.”
“The inaugural phase of the TELUS She CAN Coach program will launch in Alberta and Nova Scotia as part of the initial club recruitment and onboarding phase this September,” the release said. “Coach recruitment will begin in September, with programming starting in January 2024. Applications for the TELUS She Can Coach program are now open until July 31.”
Telus will also become the title partner of the Telus Canadian Championship starting in 2024.
“We are proud to welcome TELUS to the Canada Soccer family and excited to work together to elevate our premier club competition nationally,” Jason deVos, Canada Soccer general secretary, said in a release. “This partnership really emphasizes the importance of corporate partners like TELUS as we collectively work to drive the growth of the sport in our country and continue to invest in advancing gender equity. We look forward to collaborating together with TELUS to drive positive outcomes in our communities.”
For every goal Canada scores during the FIFA Women’s World Cup, taking place between July 20 and August 20 in Australia, Telus also said it is donating $1,000 – up to $20,000 – to EqualPlayFC, an organization dedicated to “making changes for the betterment of girls and women.”
Telus and Canada Soccer also said they will be collecting “gently used” soccer equipment at certain league events to be re-distributed to underprivileged communities across the country.
“Through the annual initiative kicking off this summer, TELUS hopes to impact thousands of new soccer players by removing barriers to getting them on the field, ultimately helping create opportunities for soccer participation in Canada while inspiring youth to reach their full potential through the sport,” the release said.
