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In north-east England, they are trying to address a shortage of female coaches. Hannah Duncan learns more from Northumberland FA’s Lloyd Miller.
The growth of women’s and girls’ soccer has been well recognised in recent years, with a surge in participation across all age groups in many countries around the world.
This is true in England, in particular, where the success of the national team – the Euro 2021-winning Lionesses – and the profile of the Women’s Super League has led to a boost in player numbers.
But the percentage of female coaches isn’t keeping pace. The Northumberland Football Association, which governs the grassroots game in the north-east of England, is working to narrow that gap through the Lionesses Coach Development Programme.
Hannah Duncan spoke to Lloyd Miller, the Northumberland FA’s football development officer for women and girls, to find out more...
LM: When I started my role in November 2021, it was apparent from being immersed in the local coaching community that there was a lack of female coaches. This was demonstrated both at coach development events and within local grassroots clubs.
I started to create an innovative and bespoke female-only coach development programme to support this gap in provision, which was later supported by our FA regional coach development officer for women and girls.
We then began working together to initiate fresh ideas to engage, develop and inspire the local female volunteer workforce, to create the best environment for their players. The programme sits within our main Coach the Coach programme at the Northumberland FA.
LM: The Lionesses Coach Development Programme targets female coaches with the twin objectives of improving coach and player development and better connecting female coaches, here in Northumberland.
The long-term vision of the programme helps supplement and support the prestigious Coach the Coach programme as the leading County FA coach development programme.
Building trust among local grassroots clubs, through in-person visits and online calls, we have demonstrated the value of the programme to clubs, which has signposted female coaches to our programme.
Over time, the reputation of the programme has encouraged more and more female coaches to register and get involved.
We want to ensure we leave no stone unturned in effectively marketing the programme, so that all clubs and female coaches are aware of the opportunity to access our free female coach development programme.
LM: The programme provides an opportunity for female coaches wanting to improve their coaching confidence and knowledge.
It delivers a series of workshops aimed at bringing together female coaches to engage with qualified tutors, and entails a blend of theory- and practical-based sessions that link to their own coaching environments.
The workshops supplement coaches’ weekly sessions and they can attend as many as they wish each season.
As the programme has evolved, we have partnered with local organisations and programmes supporting women’s and girls’ football to offer a wider range of CPD and education around the local coaching landscape.
LM: More than 100 female coaches have registered for the programme to date, since it started in March 2022.
We have developed a fantastic community of female coaches through the programme, which continues to evolve each season in order to meet the needs and wants of a rapidly expanding number of local female coaches.
LM: Extremely positive. An evolving programme requires ongoing reflections, relying on active listening in our interactions with attending coaches.
Those coaches have helped shape the provision, through feedback both in informal conversations and through forms.
We have now provided ad-hoc in-person workshops that encompass going behind the scenes with Newcastle United Women, Newcastle United Foundation Emerging Talent Centre, the Discover My Talent programme and, most recently, delivering a bespoke workshop for aspirational female coaches on an England Lionesses matchday at [Newcastle United’s] St. James’ Park.
We recognise the value of providing our coaches with regular opportunities to further their learning from in-person coach education.
LM: It is important for our female coaching community to have a safe place to learn, engage and share their opinions and learnings in an environment where they feel supported among other like-minded female coaches.
Being around coaches on a similar journey, [in terms of their] experience and qualifications, will provide additional relatability among coaches to ease any apprehension around attending our events.
LM: A clear mission of Northumberland FA is bringing to life the Inspiring Positive Change strategy in our county.
One of eight points contained within the strategy, which we hope to achieve through the Lionesses Coach Development Programme, is "ensuring we have high standards of coaching practice throughout the women’s game, underpinned by a thirst for ongoing learning, critical thinking and knowledge sharing”.
As we look ahead, we will see new aims and challenges, encompassing engaging more coaches in our female coach development group, improving coaching standards to better prepare coaches for their next qualification, identifying opportunities for paid coaching positions, and increasing diversity in our female coach development group.
"I have never played football and started off as a mum helping. I recognised quite quickly that there was a gap in my knowledge and skills when it came to coaching football.
"The Lionesses Coach Development Programme has helped me in so many ways.
"Practically, I have gained a greater understanding of a variety of football practices and how to adapt them depending on the session, while considering the players and their needs.
"I have more self-awareness about my own behaviours as a coach, how I phrase things during a session and the importance of player development.
"Most of all, my confidence has grown. At the start of my coaching journey, I focused so much on what I didn’t know, and was quite negative about myself and my ability to coach others.
"By regularly attending the sessions, I have been able to meet other female coaches. We share our own experiences, while also learning from each other.
"I have had nothing but support from my peers in the sessions and this has allowed me to attend with confidence and a willingness to learn."
Sharon Harrison
Cramlington United
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