Why more women and girls should get into coaching football

How many women do you have in coaching roles at your club? 

As of 2024, half of the clubs that participate in the Girls Super League don’t have any women coaches, but we want to help change that! 

Since the Lionesses’ historic Euros win in 2022, there are now more girls playing football than ever. Earlier this month, over 465,000 girls took part in the FA’s ‘Biggest Ever Football Session’ as part of the #LetGirlsPlay campaign. But when it comes to getting women involved in coaching, there’s still a long way to go.

The lack of female coaches is a familiar problem from the grassroots, all the way up to the elite Women’s Super League level. For Emma Hayes, the current Chelsea Women’s Manager, the lack of female coaches in English football is a “massive issue”.

In order to start tackling this issue we must begin to address the lack of female coaches at the grassroots level first! Here are some of the reasons why getting more women and girls into coaching positions is so important.

Being a role model for girls  

Hope Powell, England Women’s first-ever full-time national team coach

Increasing the number of female coaches in the girls’ game is crucial to improving standards and showing girls that they can be involved in football in lots of different ways.

When young girls see women coaching, it makes it possible for them to envision themselves in sports leadership roles. It really is the coaches that they interact with week in and week out that makes the biggest difference to what girls believe they can achieve.  

The positive influence of female coaches extends beyond just skills learned on the pitch. Morgan Briggs, a Bloomsbury Football Coach, reflected on how she looked up to her coaches when she was young. “My coaches had such an impact on me…They taught me life skills; from time management to respecting your teammates and coaches. These are what I remember the most.”

Morgan’s experience shows us that female role models in football help motivate players to become their best selves both on and off the pitch!  

Empathising with female players

Manager Emma Hayes with her Chelsea players

Emma Hayes says it’s critical to have women in leadership positions within her team because they have the power to empathise with players “just by virtue of being a woman.”

They can understand the specific challenges and experiences that young girls may face in football, including issues relating to confidence, body image and gender stereotypes.

By empathising with these challenges, female coaches can provide a supportive and inclusive environment where young girls feel understood, valued and empowered. This can help young players thrive both on and off the pitch!  

Changing social norms  

Gemma Grainger coaching Norway Women’s National Team

By stepping over the sidelines and becoming a female coach, you play an important role in reshaping the social norms surrounding women in sports. Anyone can be a coach, and it should be a role that young girls aspire to!

Gemma Grainger, current Manager of Norway Women’s National Team, has said: “There are some really good mums out there who would be just as good as the dads [at coaching] but it’s the social change that we’re driving for, because the stereotypes are embedded in the industry over years and years”. 

For young girls, seeing women in coaching and managing roles can really motivate them to pursue these pathways in football regardless of social norms, leading to lasting change for future generations.

England Women’s Manager, Sarina Wiegman, celebrates one of her many Euros wins

Ready to try your hand at coaching?

If you feel inspired and want to be part of changing the game for the next generation of young girls in grassroots football, then we have a great opportunity for an introduction to coaching!

We invite all women and girls who are interested in starting their journey to join our Stepping Over the Sidelines coaching workshop with the London FA.

This is an introductory workshop open to anyone who would like to volunteer or coach in football, no matter your background or experience.

Never played or coached football before? No problem, this workshop is for you!

Don’t know the rules of the game? Don’t worry, this workshop is for you!

Even if you don’t have footballing experience, we know that you have valuable skills from other areas of your life that you can contribute to your grassroots club.

Stepping Over The Sidelines workshop details:

Date: Sunday 21st April, 2024
Time: 10:45 am - 12:45 pm
Location: St James Catholic High School, NW9 5QW