Jennifer Ferguson – Builder
As a teacher and school administrator, Jennifer Ferguson has done more than shape young minds. Her more than 20-year dedication to coaching softball, basketball and soccer has helped to build a community of well-rounded students as they move from the classroom to adulthood.
Ferguson began coaching in Prince Albert in 2002. She took on the task of not only coaching senior girls’ basketball and soccer at Carlton Comprehensive High School, but also took to the diamonds to become a coach with the Prince Albert Aces. She immediately had an impact on the teams she coached taking home a number of medals regionally, provincially and throughout western Canada.
In soccer, Ferguson coached senior girls at Carlton from 2002-2016. During this time, her team was crowned the regional champions five times and brought the provincial gold medal home to Prince Albert in 2009 and 2013. They were also two-time provincial silver medalists in 2015 and 2016, and brought home the bronze in 2012.
Carlton Comprehensive High School and Prince Albert were also well represented by the senior girls basketball teams Ferguson coached. During her tenure from 2002-2023, Carlton was crowned the regional champions a total of nine times and silver medalists three times. Under Ferguson, the teams also did very well at provincials winning gold in 2010, silver in 2007, and bronze in 2009, 2016 and 2018. The senior girls’ basketball team was always very competitive and tough to play against with Ferguson at the helm.
Her commitment to young women in Prince Albert and area expanded beyond the walls of the high school. Ferguson has been a coach with minor softball’s development teams for more than 20 years. The Prince Albert Aces and their players have been the benefactors of Ferguson’s knowledge of the game and ability to mentor and coach young girls.
The winning came early and often for Ferguson when she started to coach softball. In 2003, her Squirt team was provincial champions. The next two years, saw provincial championships in Pee Wee for Ferguson and a trip to Western Canadians, winning a bronze medal at the Western Canadian Championships in 2005 when Prince Albert was the host team. In 2009 and 2010, the Midget Aces would bring home the provincial championship to Prince Albert. The 2010 team also won gold at the Western Canadian Championships. The winning continued with that same team in 2011 when they graduated to the Junior age group. In that year, they won provincials and brought home silver at the Western Canadian Championships. Ferguson was recognized for her excellence in 2010, being named the Kinsmen Sportsman of the year.
In 2013, Ferguson helped lead the Bantam Aces, who were perceived as an underdog, to a gold medal at Western Canadians in Winnipeg. In 2014, Ferguson’s Bantam Aces team would win provincials and advance to nationals and the next year they would take home a provincial silver medal in the Midget category and again advance to nationals.
Ferguson’s impact on the athletes she has coached is evident long after they move from the minor sports ranks as many have continued on to have success in university and college sports.
