Our 2024-25 Jr. NBA Community Coach of the Year
COACH JENNIFER GALLUPE - BURLINGTON VIPERS WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL (AGES 3-14)
ON COURT PHILOSOPHY
Jen's philosophy is one of inclusion and fun. She keeps her team engaged with many fun activities while incorporating basketball skills. She will bring some of the older teenaged athletes as mentors to the "minis", which give them people to look up to, and fosters a great sense of community for the Vipers family.
OFF COURT PHILOSOPHY
Off-court success, for Jen would be for her athletes to be to have a love for sport and being active. As a teacher she sees that there are minimal opportunities for children with disabilities to be involved in sport and is dedicated to help remove barriers for all children to lead a healthy lifestyle.
MOTIVATING HER ATHLETES
Jen launched the annual Vipers “Jingle Jam” Tournament and a weeklong Summer Wheelchair Basketball Camp — fun, community-driven events that blend skill development, games, and mentorship between young and older athletes.
INCLUSION IN SPORT
Jen encourages anyone to come out to give wheelchair basketball a try. Jen facilitated the GEAR (Girls Enabled and Ready to Play) program in the Burlington Community to encourage girls to participate in wheelchair basketball. She also encourages many stand up basketball athletes to come and try the game to show that Wheelchair Basketball is a game any anyone can play.
ABOVE & BEYOND
Jen launched the annual Vipers Christmas “Jingle Jam” Tournament — a fun, music-filled event with prizes that unites the entire Viper family, letting young athletes play alongside their older heroes. She also created a weeklong Summer Wheelchair Basketball Day Camp — possibly the first of its kind in Canada — combining skill development, games, crafts, swimming, and community involvement by including high school players as counselors.
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what is the Jr. NBA Coach of the Year?
The Jr. NBA Coach of the Year program celebrates youth basketball coaches who uphold the core values of the game – teamwork, respect, determination, and community – and inspires them to continue teaching the fundamentals of the game. The award is designed to recognize coaches who have made a lasting impact on boys and girls aged 14 and under in communities around the world while positively influencing the overall youth basketball ecosystem, including players, coaches, parents, and referees.
How can I enter?
Email us RaptorsCamps@mlse.com with the following information:
- Coach's Name
- Coach's Phone #
- Coach's Email Address
- Name of Coach's Organization(s) or Team(s)
- Age Level of Athletes Coached
- Total Years Coaching
- Why you are nominating this Coach
- Description of Coach's on-court philosophy
- How does this Coach define off-court success for their athletes?
- How has this Coach served as a role model? Use examples.
- How does this Coach motivate their athletes?
- How does this Coach focus on the mental and physical wellbeing of their athletes?
- Does your Coach use sports as a tool to address social justice issues? If so, how?
- What makes this Coach worthy of selection(how have they gone above and beyond)?
- List any certifications and recognitions this Coach has received
- Last chance, anything else we need to know about this Coach?
What does the winning Coach get?
- A trophy from the Jr. NBA & Toronto Raptors as recognition for being the Coach of the Year
- Toronto Raptors Prize Pack
- A chance to compete against winning Coaches from other teams to be crowned the National Coach of the Year
- And more!!