TORONTO (March 5, 2025) – Canada Basketball is pleased to announce the coaching and support staff for the U16 Women’s National Team ahead of the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup.

Returning as head coach is Fabienne Blizzard, who led Canada to silver at the 2023 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup and a historic second-place finish at the 2024 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup – the program’s best-ever finish.

“It’s an honour to continue leading this group and helping develop the next generation of women’s basketball talent in Canada,” said Blizzard. “We’ve built something special over the past few years, and I’m excited to see what this team can achieve on the international stage.”

A longtime fixture in Canada’s women’s national and provincial programs, Blizzard has coached Ontario’s U15 and U17 teams and co-founded Capital Courts Academy, a key development hub for girls’ basketball. A former University of Ottawa Gee-Gees standout, she was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame and later transitioned to coaching, serving as an assistant with the Gee-Gees from 1994-98 before taking the helm for the 1998-99 season.

“We’re thrilled to have Fabienne back after her incredible work leading our U16 and U17 teams to success, including a silver medal at last year’s U17 World Cup,” said Steve Baur, Interim Head, Women’s High Performance. “Her leadership has been instrumental in developing this next generation of talent, and we’re eager to see her guide another exciting group for Canada Basketball.”

Joining Blizzard on the bench will be assistant coaches Jessica Roque, Robyn Fleckenstein, and Hali Burns.

Roque, who helped Canada capture bronze at the 2023 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, brings a wealth of experience at both the U SPORTS and international levels. Now in her fifth season as head coach of the Waterloo Warriors, she previously spent four years as lead assistant at Toronto Metropolitan University.

“Jessica’s experience at the U18 and U19 levels, including World Championship competition, makes her a fantastic addition to this staff,” said Baur. “She’s been through multiple cycles with us, and her expertise will be a great complement to Fabienne’s leadership.”

Fleckenstein is in her seventh season as head coach of the Mount Royal Cougars after coaching the Augustana Vikings from 2017-19. She also spent four seasons as an assistant with the University of Alberta Pandas. Meanwhile, Burns recently joined Canada Basketball’s women’s high-performance staff, working with national teams and elite youth programs. She has over 15 years of coaching and program administration experience, with previous roles at Kia Nurse Elite, the University of Toronto, Lincoln Prep and Mohawk College.

“With Robyn joining the national team coaching staff, we’re adding a proven leader who has had success with Team Alberta and at the Canada Games,” Baur added. “Her debut at this level is an exciting step, and we’re looking forward to seeing the impact she’ll make. 

“Hali’s addition as a full-time staff member brings even more depth to this group. This will be her first exposure to the national team, and we’re eager to see how she contributes alongside this talented coaching staff.”

Supporting the team off the court will be operations lead Taylor Prescott and delegate Mireille Béland, both of whom bring valuable experience in team logistics and player support.

The team will be selected following the U16 Women’s National Team Assessment Camp, running March 20-23. The camp will invite 24 of the country’s top U16 athletes, offering a national training environment with an international focus. A technical summit will also take place during the camp, bringing together top coaches and staff from across Canada.

Canada currently ranks third in the FIBA women’s age-group rankings, presented by Nike. The date and location of the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup will be announced at a later date.

2025 U16 Women’s National Team Staff‍

Head Coach: Fabienne Blizzard
Assistant Coach: Jessica Roque
Assistant Coach: Robyn Fleckenstein
Assistant Coach: Hali Burns
Operations: Taylor Prescott
Delegate: Mireille Béland

‍