Watts (nee Watson) has been an integral part of some of UBC’s greatest successes, both as a coach and as a player.
From Agassiz, B.C., Watts became the program’s full-time assistant coach in June of 2007. Since then, the Thunderbirds have captured a U SPORTS national championship and three Canada West titles, while going 162-68 in league play.
As a player, the former Canadian national team member led UBC to the 2004 U SPORTS championship, the school’s first title in 30 years at the time. That season she was recognized as a Canada West all-star, second team U SPORTS All-Canadian and U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year before taking home championship MVP honours. She still holds the school record for steals in a game with 10.
Watts donned the maple leaf as part of Canada’s senior national team between 2005 and 2007, with highlights including the 2006 FIBA World Basketball Championship and 2007 Pan American Games, both in Brazil.
She holds three degrees from UBC: Bachelor of Human Kinetics (2004), Bachelor of Education (2005), and a Masters of Kinesiology (2011).
Watts served as the head coach of the B.C. Under-17 provincial team that competed in the 2017 Canada Summer Games. In 2015, she held the same role, coaching the provincial team to a fourth-place finish at the national championship. The year before, Watts assisted at Canada Basketball’s Western Canada Juvenile Assessment Camp. She has also assisted with the Canada Basketball Centre of Performance. From 2008-11, Watts was the head coach of the Basketball BC U-15 provincial team, which she led to back-to-back bronze medals at the juvenile National Championship tournament in 2010 and 2011.
