The Toronto Tempo have announced the launch of Tempo Rising, a new women’s coaching mentorship and leadership development program designed to support the next generation of women leaders in basketball. The program is being delivered in partnership with Giants of Africa.
Tempo Rising is a six-month program that will provide selected participants with one-to-one mentorship, monthly group learning sessions, hands-on coaching development opportunities, and a community impact project to conclude the experience. The initiative is positioned to help emerging coaches build leadership skills, expand their networks, and gain practical experience within the Toronto Tempo ecosystem and the broader basketball community.
Program supports include a $1,000 CAD grant for each selected mentee, two private 30-minute mentorship sessions with Toronto Tempo General Manager Monica Wright Rogers, Head Coach Sandy Brondello, or principal owner Masai Ujiri, monthly 90-minute group discussions, and access to development opportunities connected to clinics, open practices, and community events.
Applicants must be Canadian residents or Giants of Africa Festival coaches, identify as women or non-binary, be coaching at an introductory-to-competitive level, and be available for virtual sessions. The application deadline is April 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Organizers have indicated that three Canadian coaches and three Giants of Africa coaches will be selected for the inaugural cohort.
Tempo Rising is fully funded by the Toronto Tempo, which will begin play in May 2026 as the WNBA’s 14th franchise. Coaches from across Canada are encouraged to apply, with the program’s hybrid structure intended to support national access while still creating select in-person opportunities where possible.
The program represents another important step in expanding leadership pathways for women in basketball and creating meaningful opportunities for coaches working in school, club, and provincial environments. For Manitoba coaches and others across Canada, the initiative offers direct access to high-level mentorship and a national professional development experience tied to one of the most significant new projects in Canadian basketball.