Applications for the 2021 Female Coach Mentorship Programme are now open, and with them the opportunity to challenge the narrative around female coaches and coaching opportunities in football in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The 2021 programme will see six female coaches mentored by three of New Zealand’s top female coaches with extensive experience both domestically and internationally – Gemma Lewis, Natalie Lawrence and Maia Vink – with the programme overseen by Football Ferns head coach Tom Sermanni.

The programme is designed to offer female coaches a supportive and safe environment for them to grow as a coach. It will give them the opportunity to experience different high performance coaching environments, upskill their own individual coaching, and develop them holistically as a leader within football.

It is intended for female coaches currently involved in the game who want to progress their coaching career through the advanced coaching system. The programme is structured around New Zealand Football’s key strategic priorities of enriching lives through football and strengthening capability and leadership across women’s football.

(Clockwise from left) Gemma Lewis, Natalie Lawrence and Maia Vink will be mentors on the 2021 Female Coach Mentorship Programme. Photo credit PhotoSport

 

Having females in sporting organisations and coaching roles is crucial to changing the narrative around and visibility of female coaches, as well as help normalise coaching as a pathway for women - an area where they are considerably in the minority says Ashleigh Cox, New Zealand Football Women’s Development Manager.

“Currently in New Zealand we have a limited number of female coaches who are qualified to facilitate coach education and a growing number of females who are interested in gaining coaching qualifications, but fear being the only female on a course.”

International research shows that the higher the level, the fewer women there are holding coaching roles. In addition, there also tends to be a lack of support to help the coaches progress (such as in coach education programmes) as well as celebrate their successes.

These are the problems that the 2021 Female Coach Mentorship Programme seeks to address, says Cox.

“We hope that by providing this programme we will not only open the doors up to more women wishing to make a career out of coaching at an advanced level, but also inspire more females to take up coaching at a community level with more female coach educators on the ground to deliver courses.

“Participation numbers are constantly growing, there’s a FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in our backyard in three years’ time and a real desire to get more female coaches into the game. We see this as an opportunity to develop some key leaders who can then go on to educate, mentor and inspire the next generation of females looking to take up coaching.”
 

To register for the 2021 Female Coach Mentorship Programme click here. Applications close 29 January.

About the 2021 Female Coach Mentorship Programme

What’s included

• Advanced coaching qualification fees covered for 12 months
• 1x NZF camp or Future Ferns Development Programme visit
• 360 degree peer learning review
• Access to six online guest speaker webinars
• 1x mentor for 12 months with four connects
• Access to online female coach group forum
• Coach training kit

Eligibility

• Must hold a minimum Senior Level 1 – looking to start C-License
• Currently be coaching a team

Cost
All costs will be covered by NZ Football, including any coach education fees, flights, accommodation, and meals where relevant.

Mentor profiles

Natalie Lawrence, Future Ferns Domestic Programme (FFDP) assistant manager, Women’s U-20s assistant coach

OFC A-Licence holder. Holds a High Performance Sport New Zealand residency. Was the first female head coach in New Zealand’s boys’ national youth league. Former head coach of Capital Football in national women’s league. Former head coach of Vancouver Whitecaps girls’ academy.

Tom Sermanni, Football Ferns head coach

Football Ferns coach since November 2018. Before taking the reigns of the Football Ferns Sermanni has held several high-profile coaching roles, including two stints at the helm of the Matildas (guiding them to the quarter finals of the 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cups™, and winning the Asian Cup in 2010), foundation coach of NWSL side Orlando Pride, assistant coach for Canada Women’s National Team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ and head coach of the US Women’s National Team.

Gemma Lewis, Future Ferns Domestic Programme (FFDP) manager, Women’s U-20s head coach

OFC A-License holder. Participant in High Performance Sport New Zealand’s coach development initiative Te Hāpaitanga. Football Ferns assistant coach at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, assistant coach of the bronze medal winning New Zealand U-17s side at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018™. Participant of the 2018 FIFA Coach Mentorship Programme.

Maia Vink, Capital Football head coach and women’s and girl’s football development officer at Capital Football

UEFA B-License holder. Participant in High Performance Sport New Zealand’s coach development initiative Te Hāpaitanga. Head coach of 2020 ISPS Handa Women’s Premiership grand finalists Capital Football. Former head coach of Vancouver Whitecaps girls’ academy. Former assistant coach and girls technical director at FC Eindhoven AV.

Article added: Monday 18 January 2021