An incredible moment happened last summer at the Women’s World Cup that passed in a whisper on the wind, swept up in the momentum of the USWNT dominant back-to-back record-setting victory. This overshadowed moment was two women helmed the teams in the final game, both Sarina Wiegman with the Netherlands and Jill Ellis for the U.S.A. This event shouldn’t have been significant, but rather more common place in the year 2019, for teams at every level of play. Truth is, it’s far more common to see men in the head coaching roles for men’s and women’s teams.

At the domestic professional level, Landon Donovan chose Carrie Taylor as his assistant coach for the newly formed San Diego Loyal in the USL. In the Summer of 2020, Taylor was the only female coach in the men’s professional game (USL and MLS) in the U.S.A. Taylor has the credentials and the track record to earn her a place on the coaching staff of any professional team. She has coached men’s college teams and was the Vancouver Whitecaps U-18 head girls coach and assistant coach for the W-league team in 2011. Her credentials include a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) ‘A’ Coaching License. Taylor also is one of only a handful of women to possess an ‘A’ Coaching License in Canada. She holds a US Youth Soccer (USYS) National Youth Coaching License, and is one of a small handful of women certified in the US to teach the National Youth License course. Her coaching resume is impressive, just look at the write up on the Whitecaps’ website. If she were a man she would be in an elite status, but as a woman she needs those credentials to justify her ability level.

Looking closer to home at fields across the city, you look down the benches and the coaching staffs are overwhelmed with the testosterone, for both men’s and women’s teams. I have gotten to see many male coaches ply their trade and know that they appreciate and respect female players, thinking highly of them. These men believe in the women’s game and the power of the players in the sport. A new mindset is recognizing this is the destination, not a next stop on the journey to coaching a men’s team.

However, with roughly 50% of the players being female why isn’t 50% of the coaching staff? In an article featured in the Lily, “Women coaches account for just seven percent of licensed soccer coaches (of all levels) worldwide, according to FIFA data from a 2014 survey… In the United States and Canada, licensed women coaches make up 21 percent of coaches, the highest.” Looking at these statistics should cause a bit of discomfort, though outrage would be even better. In a country that implemented Title IX, that has brought about more women playing sports, how has the statistics on female coaches stagnated from that time period, while the number of players has grown exponentially? The numbers of talented and skillful female players with a high soccer IQ has grown, but the conversion to coaching staffs has not.

Strengthening women coaches is critical at all levels for the continued success of women’s soccer. Players need to see role models, they need to see someone like them in coaching roles to think, “If she can do it so can I.” Girls need to see someone breaking the stereotypes that women aren’t competitive and don’t have the cutthroat ability it takes to win championships. I’m not sure why good coaching is still associated with aggression and not an analytical mind, which stereotypically is associated with men. Yet one stereotype feeds the other and we continue to see the advantage and opportunities offered to male coaches.

Women have long been relegated to youth teams with younger players and those predominantly on female teams. Why? Women have just as much experience and understanding of the game as men. We have the best women’s team in the world which points to the fact that we have great training programs that female players go through. It stands to reason that we should be producing some of the best female coaches. Based on performance, we can say our women’s programs are superior to the men’s, logically, we should have the best female coaches. Why aren’t more female players making the transition from player to coach? More women should be coaching and ultimately mentoring other women from player to coach, but I also want to see them coaching men’s teams. They are qualified as coaches regardless of the players’ gender they coach.

Some are trying to shift this paradigm. FC Austin Elite of the UWS has committed to supporting women in soccer in all areas. They intentionally choose to have female head coaches of their three women’s teams. Men can come and coach a session, but it is these women who have the final say on their team. Not only coaches, but medical trainers - they even take the further step of requesting an all-female referee crew for their games. This should not be a one off, but should be the normal way female teams and organizations should be run. Women’s clubs should be actively creating opportunities for women in every position on and around the field.

Will an MLS team take a risk on Jill Ellis, the most decorated coach in US Soccer history? With a proven track record it’s not much of a risk, more of a well calculated appointment. If she was a man how long would she have to wait? Bruce Arena obtained the head coaching position with MLS side NE Revolution not long after he led the USMNT to NOT qualify for the World Cup. I have been saying for a few years that I think she should take over the USMNT team. Will clubs learn from the professional teams and find female potential and cultivate excellent female coaches or will we look over talent forcing them to wait in the wings because of their gender? Can we continue to set the tone and step front and center on the domestic soccer stage?

Recently, in a conversation I was talking to a male coach that I’ve known for a few years about female coaches. He asked me about my background in coaching. I shared that I was an assistant coach for a women’s college team for two years. He was disbelieving as he asked how come he never knew. My reply was simple, it’s because he never asked.

Ask the female players about coaching.

One argument that I hear is that more men apply for the positions. Each man had to have their first chance. A coach took an unknown risk on each male coach we currently see today. It’s risk to hire Landon Donovan as a head coach of a professional team (he’s never officially been a coach for more than 2 games per Wikipedia).

How? The first step in the growth of women coaching the game is to have supportive coaching staff who embrace the idea of women coaches. The next step is the intentionality in hiring and mentoring women coaches. It needs to be a conscious decision, free from implicit bias.

I have cultivated a few answers to help encourage organizations to take a new step in that direction.

If you are a coach, sign all of your female players up for the coaching course, or at a minimum talk to them about it, have a female coach as a guest speaker at a practice, and email them the website to sign up for it.
Give someone a chance. Every coach started somewhere, no one is born as a coach. Start by saying yes, then giving that coach the support to be successful.
Women need to support each other and not worry about competing with each other. If you are a female coach, make spots for each other.
Scholarship the women who have expressed interest in their coaching license or upgrade someone who has been with you awhile and has potential. Best way to have women apply is to get them licensed.
Ask the women on your semi-pro team to be a coach or assistant coach at your club.
Promote the female coaches you currently have to a higher age group or to the men’s teams
Be intentional. It starts with the simple things, just talk about it in your coaches meeting, ask who they think has potential, who can they mentor.
Current coaches, male and female, who are you mentoring to become a coach? Why not choose a female?
Have you thought about implementing a “Rooney rule”? Do you interview a set percentage of women for every coaching position that opens up for men’s and women’s teams?
Do you have pictures of your entire coaching staff, especially women, not just the top few male coaches? If you have a biography of some coaches, did you put up a biography for everyone? If one looks at your website and coaching staff who would be perceived as having more value?
Start a mentor program formal/paid or volunteer where you partner young women with a team or as an assistant coach to see if they are interested and develop them. There is a program in DC where men volunteer to serve as the assistant coaches to women who are the head coaches. Create one at your club.
If you’re a woman, ask for it! If you are coaching a u-12/13/14 ask to coach older players. Don’t just wait until someone asks you. Know your value and that you’re a bada$$.
Have female coaches as guest speakers at your meetings
Establish a club goal of 30% increase in female head coaches over the next 3 years.
Train the entire team on implicit bias and gender equity

- Danielle Gawronski