Strategies in Building a Girls’ Soccer Program & Women’s Coaching Staff NorCal Premier Soccer Coaching Symposium 2019 Presented by Erin Sharpe Guest Panel: Lorna Brownlie, Belinda Halloran and Carmen Padilla

INTRODUCTIONS Erin Sharpe: NorCal Women’s Committee Chair, NorCal State PDP staff coach, Pleasanton RAGE Director of Coaching Lorna Brownlie: NorCal Women’s Committee, Regional PDP Coach, Assistant Coach and Performance Analyst at the University of the Pacific Belinda Halloran: NorCal Women’s Committee, Napa Soccer Academy Coach, Varsity Associate Head Coach at Justin Siena High School Carmen Padilla: NorCal Women’s Committee and Latina Outreach Coordinator, San Juan South Coach, Assistant Coach at the University of the Pacific

AGENDA If you can see it, you can be it strategies Recruitment/Retention Environment Empowerment Supporting female leaders Breaking barriers NorCal Women’s Committee mission/vision and initiatives Call to Action Q and A with panel

IF YOU CAN SEE IT…

IF YOU CAN SEE IT…YOU CAN BE IT! Young girls need to see role models in soccer on regional, national and international stages but ALSO within your own community and club: Strategies: Create a true connection between your older and younger club players Big Sister/Little Sister Program (on and off field) Older players attend younger games AND training sessions to teach, mentor, and inspire Younger players attend older player sessions to learn through observation and motivation

IF YOU CAN SEE IT…YOU CAN BE IT! Young girls need to see role models in soccer on regional, national and international stages but ALSO within your own community and club: Strategies: 2. Female Coaches within your club Girls need male role models as well, but there should be gender equity within your staff How many female coaches are your girls being coached by u8-u19?

IF YOU CAN SEE IT…YOU CAN BE IT! Young girls need to see role models in soccer on regional, national and international stages but ALSO within your own community and club: Strategies: 3. Women in elevated positions of Leadership within your Club SOCCER positions in addition to Board level positions Female Directors mentor other female coaches, inspire players and also better educate men on how to coach girls

IF YOU CAN SEE IT…YOU CAN BE IT! Young girls need to see role models in soccer on regional, national and international stages but ALSO within your own community and club: Strategies: 4. How often do you hire or request female referees? Do your coaching staff and parents treat them with the same level of respect as male counterparts from the sidelines?

Recruitment and Retention of Girls ENVIRONMENT Recruitment and Retention of Girls At all levels, players must have fun through an environment that instills this joy! 1. Male and Female coaches must build relationship with girls: Be more than a soccer technical and tactical teacher. CONNECT with girls by showing an interest in them as people, not just players Understand how to communicate to individual players

Recruitment and Retention of Girls ENVIRONMENT Recruitment and Retention of Girls At all levels, players must have fun! Create an environment that instills joy! 2. Emphasize and nurture team chemistry and bonding Focus on and off of the field team development Allow players time to socialize (before training, at water breaks, etc.) In this environment, players will recruit more friends to play the game and more will continue playing year after year

Recruitment and Retention of Girls ENVIRONMENT Recruitment and Retention of Girls 3. Community Outreach and Financial Assistance Offer free clinics to introduce players to the game (assisted by your older players) Don’t allow cost to be the primary barrier to entry or retention! Offer a scholarship program that is equitable to boys and girls

Recruitment and Retention of Girls EMPOWERMENT Recruitment and Retention of Girls At all levels, players must have fun through an environment that instills this joy! 4. EMPOWER Girls and develop LEADERS! Make players an active part of the process. Create boundaries, but guide them Coach should but let the girls have ownership of their process on and off of the field. Allow girls to be active participants in creating team rules and goals Players will become more engaged, confident and emboldened

SUPPORTING FEMALE LEADERS RECRUITING AND DEVELOPING MORE FEMALE COACHES/LEADERS Strategies: Start with your own older players! Develop them as coaches not only through mentoring your younger players, working for service hours, but with revenue generating camps/clinics HIRE them to work camps and clinics for you Allow them to experience career possibilities within the sport Grassroots coaching license for all u19 players Referee licensing for older youth players (will develop them as players as well)

SUPPORTING FEMALE LEADERS RECRUITING AND DEVELOPING MORE FEMALE COACHES/LEADERS Strategies: 2. Supporting, mentoring and empowering female coaches Female Director on staff for mentorship Encouraging and truly supporting coaching education (time and money) Rewarding coaches for earning advanced licensing (financial and otherwise)

SUPPORTING FEMALE LEADERS RECRUITING AND DEVELOPING MORE FEMALE COACHES/LEADERS Strategies: 3. Pathway for advancement within your club What are the goals of the coach? What are the goals of the club for the coach? What is their niche? How can they get better and be challenged? - Different age groups, levels

Boys need female role models too BREAKING BARRIERS Boys need female role models too Assign female coaches to boys teams! Men coach girls/women, Women can and should coach boys/men of all ages too Help break societal barriers and send positive message to your own players, staff, parents and community

NORCAL WOMEN’S COMMITTEE INITIATIVES Women’s Scholarship Initiative $10,000 annual allocation to female coaches for completed coursework ranging from grassroots to International TOVO and various USSF and UEFA licensing  Partnering with clubs to assist with fund allocation

NORCAL WOMEN’S COMMITTEE INITIATIVES Women’s Coaching Education and Mentorship Program Host international clinicians and symposiums based upon Women’s Euro and World Cup events as well as leadership Senior NorCal women coaches conducting annual coaching symposiums

NORCAL WOMEN’S COMMITTEE INITIATIVES Advocacy and Outreach Latina Outreach: Partnering with Colleges/Universities in each NorCal region to host free clinics for Latina players not currently participating at a competitive level and coupled with Women’s College Spring and Fall games Female Coaches and Leaders in NorCal keynote speakers at boys and girls State Cup awards ceremonies

NORCAL Women’s Committee MISSION/VISION Our Mission is to increase and retain the number of women in leadership positions within the NorCal Premier Soccer Community. Our Vision includes providing increased resources, mentorship, networking, support, education and professional development for aspiring women in all capacities of the game of soccer, as well as for all other coaches working directly with female soccer players within the NorCal Premier Soccer Community. CALL TO ACTION ! As a NorCal member club, can your club share in this mission and vision?

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH OUR PANEL THANK YOU! QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH OUR PANEL