Erica Quam: Positive Coaching Alliance
Erica is the Northwest Partnership Manager for the Positive Coaching Alliance. Sports done right changes lives. Sports represents a unique opportunity to create life-changing experiences for millions of kids. But only if done right which means making sure it is: Positive, Equitable and Accessible. Reach out to Erica directly with questions about how your organization can partner with PCA.
Find Your Peak Sports
Erica is also a leadership coach, consultant and facilitator who works with athletic coaches, athletes and teams to elevate your team’s performance, work through challenges more effectively and create space for people to contribute their unique strengths to function optimally, together.
Working with a Leadership Coach may help speed the process up - to help you learn faster and easier than trying to do it all by yourself.
Learn more about leadership coaching here: Find Your Peak Sports.
Background
I grew up as a competitive swimmer in Roanoke, Virginia. My parents worked the concession booth at hockey games to help pay for me to swim on my club team - the Virginia Gators. My mom and dad were also instrumental in getting a swim team started at my high school. Since we didn’t have a pool in our high school, the team had to take a school bus across town to go to practice. My dad got his bus driver’s license so he could take turns with other parents driving our team. Ironically, since I also swam on a club team, I practiced with them and only competed for my high school team. So, my dad basically drove my high school teammates. That’s dedication! My younger brother, Brett also went on to compete for Cave Spring High School.
I earned a college scholarship to swim for the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington, Indiana. I was not the most talented athlete on the team. Competing in the Big Ten Conference was both an honor and a challenge. I loved my experience as a student-athlete at IU and I loved my teammates. I worked hard. I also learned how passionate I was about leadership and team dynamics. I was a two-time team captain during my junior and senior years and received the Mental Toughness Award my junior year.
After receiving a B.S. in Biology and getting my teaching certificate...I decided that coaching would allow me to be an even more effective teacher...through sports. I coached Division 1 swimming for 15 years. I started out as a volunteer assistant coach for the Women’s Swim Team at Southern Methodist University. I also coached the Dallas Aquatics Masters Team. I was hired as the full time assistant coach for the next 4 years.
At 26 years old, I was hired as the Head Women’s Swim Coach at Washington State University. I spent 9 years at WSU and then shifted my focus to working directly with athletic coaches. That’s when Kerry and I moved to Bellingham. I started my own business - Find Your Peak Sports - in January 2012.