Written by Thomas Scott

When Tanya McKay became head coach of the Dalhousie Tigers women’s basketball team in the 2022-23 season, she connected with former Tigers MVP Kathy Spurr (BScK'88) to begin a mentorship program. Spurr started the mentorship program and continues to oversee it, connecting student-athletes with mentors who are Dal women's basketball alumni.

It was a way for McKay to get to know more Dal alumni and engage her athletes. Many student-athletes are coming to a new city away from home. Having a mentor and an immediate contact is crucial in a new environment.

McKay knows what it is like to move away from home for university. Hailing from Sackville, N.S., McKay moved away from home to the University of Winnipeg to play for the Winnipeg Wesmen in 1986.

“I think it's a great opportunity to connect former players to current players and to keep the Tigers family strong. We want everyone to feel supported. We want to support the former players, and we want to support the current players. Creating that opportunity, I think, is huge,” says McKay.

The mentorship program aligns student-athletes with alumni to help guide them through university life. Spurr, a two-time AUAA (now AUS) MVP, looks for alumni who have graduated with the same degree as the student and have the same hometown as mentors for players. Having a mentor helps with the pressure of life on and off the court.

Being connected with a mentor in the profession the student aspires to have is excellent for networking. Not only are student-athletes directly linked to a connection in their field, but their mentor can also connect them with other professionals and important contacts. This helps students pursue their careers past graduation.

“If the student-athlete is unsure of their program of study and where that's going to take them, they have somebody that's in the real world who can provide them with their experience,” says Spurr.

The life of a student-athlete is busy, making time management crucial. Having the mentorship program, in addition to the Black & Gold Academic Success Program, which helps students manage their studies, eases the stress for new students.

“It gives them that reassurance that they'll get through it and they'll be okay, and if they need some support from myself, I'm happy to do that,” says Sue Ehler (BScPT’87), a mentor for the program and 1986 AUAA champion with Dal.

Emma Ward, a third-year guard from Moncton, N.B., has seen the mentorship program's impact on others and herself.

“It's really nice to have an adult figure in your life still, even though you're away from your family and home,” says Ward.

The mentorship program helps continue the Tigers culture that has been built over decades.

“I definitely think it contributes to the program's culture, and hopefully, the current student-athletes will give back in the future if there are opportunities to mentor,” says Spurr.

Be sure to keep up with your Tigers for more news and updates.