Latest news with #femalecoaches
South China Morning Post
09-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Give women top jobs, says China's Wu, as 4 men take charge at Asia football competition
As four male head coaches get set to lead their teams in the women's East Asian Football Championship, the China captain Wu Haiyan said it 'would be a very good improvement for football' if more women filled the top Asian jobs. Wu's international boss is Ante Milicic, who was appointed in May last year after Shui Qingxia was sacked following China's failed Olympic qualifying campaign. The six China bosses before Shui, who was in charge for two years until November 2023, were all men. China will begin their East Asian campaign on Wednesday night against a South Korea team helmed by Shin Sang-woo. Earlier in the day, Chinese Taipei, led by Hongkonger Chan Hiu-ming, will kick off the tournament against Nils Nielsen-managed Japan. 'I am a player now, so I only put my focus on how to play well, but in future, if there is any chance of more female high-level coaches, it would be a very good improvement for football,' Wu, who has more than 100 caps, told the Post. The top nine Asian teams are managed by men, but South Korea skipper Lee Geum-min said she had 'no comment about the gender of the coach'. 'What's important is that the coach understands the team and the players they are coaching,' the Birmingham City forward added.
Japan Times
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Euro 2025 sets new record for female coaches
From tournament stalwarts Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman to international debutant Rhian Wilkinson, the 2025 Women's European Championship, which kicked off on Wednesday in Switzerland, marks an historic high for female coaches. But while women's soccer is one of the better sports for female representation, male coaches still have a slight edge in terms of numbers with nine of the 16 teams at Euro 2025 coached by men and seven by women. The 43.75% of female coaches is a seismic leap from Euro 2013, where just 18.75% of teams were coached by women. That figure had nearly doubled by 2017 and held steady at 37.5% in 2022. "It's clear progress is being made — slowly but surely," the Female Coaching Network, a global community for female coaches, said. "Of course, there's still a long road ahead. Change takes time." Lack of success has not been a factor. Between 2000 and the 2023 Women's World Cup, all but one of the major women's soccer tournaments — the Women's World Cup, Women's Euros and the Olympics — were won by female-coached teams. The sole exception was the 2011 Women's World Cup, where Norio Sasaki coached Japan to the title. Wiegman was the last woman standing in 2023 in Australia, where England reached its first World Cup final, losing to Spain, which was managed by Jorge Vilda. Sundhage is by far the most experienced coach at Euro 2025, having been head coach of the United States and Sweden for five years each, Brazil for four years and now Switzerland. She guided the Americans to gold at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Wilkinson, who is coaching Wales in its major tournament debut, Elisabet Gunnarsdottir (Belgium), Nina Patalon (Poland), and Gemma Grainger (Norway) are the four women making their managerial debuts in a major senior tournament. Women represented about 13% of all coaches at last year's Paris Olympics, which was virtually unchanged from the Tokyo Games.
Globe and Mail
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Euro 2025 sees a record high for women coaches, but still outnumbered by men
From tournament stalwarts Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman to international debutante Rhian Wilkinson, the Women's European Championship that kicks off on Wednesday in Switzerland marks an historic high for female coaches. But while women's soccer is one of the better sports for female representation, male coaches still have a slight edge in terms of numbers with nine of the 16 teams at Euro 2025 coached by men and seven by women. The 43.75 per cent of female coaches is a seismic leap from Euro 2013, where just 18.75 per cent of teams were coached by women. That figure had nearly doubled by 2017 and held steady in 2022 at 37.5 per cent. 'It's clear progress is being made – slowly but surely,' the Female Coaching Network said. 'Of course, there's still a long road ahead. Change takes time.' Lack of success has not been a factor. Between 2000 and the 2023 Women's World Cup, all but one of the major women's football tournaments – World Cup, Women's Euros and the Olympics – were won by female-coached teams. Norio Sasaki, the man who coached Japan to World Cup gold in 2011, was the sole exception. Wiegman was the last woman standing in 2023 in Australia, where England reached their first World Cup final, losing to Spain. Spain pursues its first women's Euro title, while the game looks at global impact Spanish manager Luis Rubiales was fired and then found guilty of sexual assault and fined more than 10,000 euros (US$10,798) for kissing national team player Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup trophy celebration in a case that sparked a nationwide furor. Sundhage is by far the most experienced coach at Euro 2025, having been head coach of the United States and Sweden for five years each, Brazil for four years and now hosts Switzerland. She guided the Americans to gold at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Wilkinson, who is coaching Wales in their major tournament debut, Elisabet Gunnarsdottir (Belgium), Nina Patalon (Poland), and Gemma Grainger (Norway) are the four women making their managerial debuts in a major senior tournament. Women represented about 13 per cent of all coaches at last year's Paris Olympics, which was virtually unchanged from the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Women's basketball led the way with 50 per cent, followed by football (33 per cent) and hockey (16 per cent). Among the worst were athletics at 13 per cent, women's rugby sevens (8 per cent) and women's golf (6 per cent).
CNA
02-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Euro 2025 sees a record high for women coaches, but still outnumbered by men
ZURICH :From tournament stalwarts Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman to international debutante Rhian Wilkinson, the Women's European Championship that kicks off on Wednesday in Switzerland marks an historic high for female coaches. But while women's soccer is one of the better sports for female representation, male coaches still have a slight edge in terms of numbers with nine of the 16 teams at Euro 2025 coached by men and seven by women. The 43.75 per cent of female coaches is a seismic leap from Euro 2013, where just 18.75 per cent of teams were coached by women. That figure had nearly doubled by 2017 and held steady in 2022 at 37.5 per cent. "It's clear progress is being made - slowly but surely," the Female Coaching Network said. "Of course, there's still a long road ahead. Change takes time." Lack of success has not been a factor. Between 2000 and the 2023 Women's World Cup, all but one of the major women's football tournaments - World Cup, Women's Euros and the Olympics - were won by female-coached teams. Norio Sasaki, the man who coached Japan to World Cup gold in 2011, was the sole exception. Wiegman was the last woman standing in 2023 in Australia, where England reached their first World Cup final, losing to Spain. Spanish manager Luis Rubiales was fired and then found guilty of sexual assault and fined more than 10,000 euros ($10,798) for kissing national team player Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup trophy celebration in a case that sparked a nationwide furore. Sundhage is by far the most experienced coach at Euro 2025, having been head coach of the United States and Sweden for five years each, Brazil for four years and now hosts Switzerland. She guided the Americans to gold at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Wilkinson, who is coaching Wales in their major tournament debut, Elisabet Gunnarsdottir (Belgium), Nina Patalon (Poland), and Gemma Grainger (Norway) are the four women making their managerial debuts in a major senior tournament. Women represented about 13 per cent of all coaches at last year's Paris Olympics, which was virtually unchanged from the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Women's basketball led the way with 50 per cent, followed by football (33 per cent) and hockey (16 per cent). Among the worst were athletics at 13 per cent, women's rugby sevens (8 per cent) and women's golf (6 per cent).
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Inspiring football coach visits Worcester school to empower girls
Jodie Williams, currently head coach of The New Saints Football Club Women in the Welsh Premier League, visited Tudor Grange Primary Academy Perdiswell in Worcester (Image: supplied) A PROFESSIONAL football coach has paid an inspiring visit to a Worcester primary school. Jodie Williams, currently head coach of The New Saints Football Club Women in the Welsh Premier League, visited Tudor Grange Primary Academy Perdiswell in Worcester on Wednesday, June 18. Advertisement She delivered an assembly and led practical football sessions, sharing her journey from community coaching to working with The Football Association (FA), county FAs, and elite academies such as Fulham FC and Everton FC. Ms Williams said: "It's vital for female role models to be visible so that all girls can aspire to enjoy successful careers in the many and varied aspects of all sports. "I've been incredibly lucky to work in lots of areas of football, and it's a genuine privilege to share that with the next generation. "The staff at Perdiswell show a real passion for supporting its pupils, and it was fantastic to see so many girls eager to get involved." Advertisement The assembly was followed by practical football sessions for girls from each year group, giving them the opportunity to develop skills and enjoy the sport in a supportive environment. Her visit was arranged through a personal connection with school staff and local football volunteers, coordinated by Mr Grange, the school's Year 6 teacher and PE coordinator. Headteacher Mr Norman said: "At Perdiswell, we are committed to creating opportunities for all our pupils and, in the case of football, to show our girls what's possible. "Grassroots football plays a vital role in developing confidence, teamwork, commitment and ambition, and we are thrilled to have hosted someone as experienced and inspirational as Jodie." The visit received glowing feedback from pupils and staff.
