How can we encourage more players and athletes to become coaches after they retire?

Welcome to #womenswednesday; our weekly online discussion with female coaches from around the World in partnership with Project 500.

Every Wednesday we pose a new topic for you to discuss,  join in and share your views.  Send us your thoughts and experiences via twitter, Facebook or the FCN Academy.

Since it began back in October 2014,  thousands of coaches have taken part and shared their thoughts about everything from gender stereotyping, coach education and even sports bras!

 


 

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This weeks topic is in honour of Lydia Greenway, a retired English cricketer with four Ashes wins and two World Cups to her name.  Having retired this summer, Lydia made her England debut in the first Women’s Ashes Test of the 2003 tour to Australia and went on to represent her country a further 224 times, scoring over 4,000 international runs and taking a total of 121 international catches, over a 13-year span.

She has now become a coach and Director of her own coaching company ‘Cricket for Girls’, Lydia works hard at promoting the game of cricket and encouraging more women to become coaches of the game.

Read the full interview HERE

This weeks #womenswednesday – we are doing a live Q&A with Lydia, so are asking you to send in your questions throughout the day to pose to Lydia.  But we also want to ask you how can we encourage more players and athletes to become coaches after they retire.


 

Answers from Social Media and FCN Academy

 

LJ – By encouraging more girls/women to become athletes

Ute Scholl – give female athletes coaching tasks to introduce them to coaching and by being a “good role model”.

Synergie DI MBE – coaches need to be great role models for others to follow models

Dani Sweetman – Talk to your players. Listen to their opinions. Watch games with them. Find solutions together.

Anita North – their coaches (who need to be good role models) encouraging them to get involved – easing them in the transition to coaching.

Paula Chance – I coach because I love the sport and want to help it, and the next generation of skaters, to grow. It’s hard to get others to coach though.

Marilyn Okoro – Amazing question… What motivated me was learning how impactful female coaches can be and learning how few existed in my sport vs males.  So education on existing female coaches making a difference/impact also athlete visits/clinics in schools is a great intro into coaching

Coach Emma – Better PE Education at schools on coaching, more Female mentors, More Opportunities for all, Introductory coaching workshops for all.

Christ Eniojukan – Don’t just coach the game, teach the game. Develop their leadership skills as players. And get them coaching right after playing.

Jazz Hervin – IMO 1 way is by helping our players to see the game in diff ways & opp’s to take ownership of team & own improvement whilst guided

Tina F. Prescott – be a good role model. When injuries happen don’t let people disappear. Give them a new role. Be a mentor, love your sport

Sarah McDonald – Be a good coach! Show athletes you’re job is enjoyable, give them a passion for the sport, and mentor them!

Coach Amy – It all starts with our approach in #phed Encourage leadership early. Girls leading girls. Mentorship is key. I had teacher mentors. Fortunate to be seen as a leader in formative years Not the case for many

 

#ww