#BlackHistoryMonth with Cheryl Jean-Paul

February is recognized as Black History Month. Every year Canadians honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities. For us at viaSport, this is an opportunity to celebrate the achievments of the Black Canadians who’ve made lasting, powerful contributions in amaetur sports. We are sharing the inspiring story of Cheryl Jean-Paul — a passionate and dedicated coach and athlete who is leading the creation of pathways for women of colour in coaching.

Cheryl Jean-Paul’s journey in sport — and the feelings of being an “imposter” — inspired her to create pathways for women of colour to pursue greater opportunities in collegiate sports and coaching.

Cheryl has been the head coach of women’s basketball at Trinity Western University since 2010. She is one of the Mentors for the 2024-2025 Coaching Association of Canada’s High-Performance Women in Coaching Mentorship Program and has been involved in various Basketball BC programming for over a decade. She is also the lead coach for the junior girls in Basketball BC’s High-Performance Basketball Academy program. This summer she will be coaching the U15 Girls provincial team.

Cheryl’s love for basketball began early, thanks to her uncles, who introduced her to the game. “My uncles were the first to put a basketball in my hands and a hoop up in the garage,” she recalls. “That was the start of my journey, and I’ve been in love with sports ever since.”

Her athleticism shone through in high school as she excelled in basketball, volleyball, and track and field, earning Manitoba’s High School Athlete of the Year nomination. After high school, Cheryl specialized in basketball at the university level, where her passion for the sport deepened.

In her coaching journey, Cheryl earned early recognition for her contributions, including being named Canada West Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year in 2018.

“Being named Canada West Coach of the Year was an exciting moment in my career,” she shares. “It meant that the hard work I was putting into coaching was being recognized.” Cheryl later became the head coach of the Canada Basketball Cadette Women’s National Team, a position she held from 2018 to 2022.

Cheryl faced challenges common to Black athletes and coaches, often feeling like an “imposter” and questioning if she was hired to meet equity mandates rather than for her skills. For long she questioned herself if she truly “belongs” in spaces defined by her gender and race.

“Many people of colour have experienced similar challenges, wondering if they were hired just to fulfil an equity mandate or to respond to concerns that the leadership in sports doesn’t reflect the makeup of the teams,” Cheryl reflects. “I’ve had to acknowledge those feelings of being an imposter, but I have a great support network that reminds me of the work I’ve put into my craft and my abilities to make change within organizations.”

This support network has been crucial in Cheryl’s journey, and she emphasizes the importance of mentorship, particularly for Black athletes and coaches. “Find someone who has been there before. Mentorship helps you stay true to your values while navigating career and life choices.” Through the guidance of her mentors, Cheryl was able to overcome self-doubt, and now she is committed to breaking barriers and inspiring others to envision themselves in leadership roles.

For Cheryl, being a Black coach is about leading by example, demonstrating to young Black athletes and coaches that they, too, can break barriers. “It’s important for people to see representation in leadership roles that can make change,” she says. “I’ve been humbled to help pave the way for younger Black coaches and women of colour to feel they belong in these spaces.”