WATERLOO, Ont. - Laurier Golden Hawks women's basketball assistant coach
Aycha Hamaoui is set for a busy stretch this summer, taking on head coaching duties with Team Blaze in Toronto's
HOOPQUEENS women's league.
The appointment marks a return to the league for Hamaoui, who enters her fourth season on the sidelines. She will guide Team Blaze through a schedule that opens on July 5, with additional games on July 12 and July 19, and a closing weekend on July 25 and 26 at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.
HOOPQUEENS, now entering its sixth season, is Canada's first paid women's basketball league and features top national talent competing during the summer months.
For Hamaoui, the opportunity represents both a continuation of her coaching journey and a chance to build on past success. In her first three seasons in the league, her teams reached the championship final each year, capturing one title along the way. That championship squad included Laurier women's basketball alum,
Emmanuelle Felix.
"HOOPQUEENS has provided me with the opportunity to coach high-level Canadian talent while gaining valuable experience in a head coaching role," Hamaoui said. "In a short period of time, it's helped me grow both personally and professionally by allowing me to build confidence, develop my coaching philosophy, and continue evolving as a coach. I'm excited to be back with the league this season."
The summer role adds to Hamaoui's growing coaching résumé and provides valuable visibility into the evolving landscape of women's sport - something Laurier's manager of women's basketball operations and head coach Megan Reid says is critical for student-athletes.
"It's a great time to be involved in women's sports. Investment and opportunities are on the rise, driven by fan engagement - and our U SPORTS student-athletes still rarely see that it's a possible path for them," Reid said. "Working every day with coaches like Aycha, who are directly involved in professional sports, helps them realize that it's possible for them. They start to see it and believe it for themselves."
