Mary Earps, a notable football player, is on a mission to discover the next Sarina Wiegman through an innovative coaching programme. The programme, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, aims to inspire female coaching talent in football. Earps, who currently plays for PSG, took part in the programme to motivate the next generation of coaches. During the programme, she met Shahla Khaliqiar, who holds the position of head coach for three teams and is also an assistant at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. This encounter allowed Earps to share valuable tips on adapting coaching sessions to benefit goalkeepers and emphasized the need for more coaching opportunities for women in football.
Earps expressed her excitement at meeting Shahla and witnessing the positive impact she has on young women. She stressed the importance of programmes like this in breaking down barriers to entry and encouraging more women, like Shahla, to pursue coaching careers in football. Through her involvement in the programme, Earps hopes to identify and nurture talented individuals who could potentially follow in the footsteps of successful coaches like Sarina Wiegman. Shahla Khaliqiar, a beneficiary of the Chase football coaching programme, shared her gratitude for the opportunity it provided in enhancing her coaching skills and progressing her career.
The Chase football coaching programme offers fully funded grassroots and professional coaching bursaries across the UK, aiming to remove financial barriers for individuals passionate about coaching. A recent YouGov survey revealed that over half of the participants would be more inclined to advance their coaching journey if they had role models from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, many existing coaches believe that coaching can develop transferable skills that lead to future employment opportunities. The programme has already provided 85 coaching bursaries and nearly 3,000 fully-funded places on grassroots coaching courses.
Participants in the programme have highlighted the positive impact it has had on their lives, with 75% acknowledging that their coaching qualification helped them develop essential life skills. Additionally, 62% stated that it enhanced their employability. Shahla Khaliqiar expressed her enthusiasm for the future, attributing the programme as a game-changer that provided her with the platform, confidence, and inspiration needed to advance in her coaching career. The programme aims to bridge the gap in skills training, especially for individuals in lower socio-economic groups, where resources may not always be readily available.
Mary Earps, who transitioned from Manchester United to PSG, encouraged aspiring coaches to seize the opportunity and apply for the programme. With a belief in the transformative power of coaching, Earps advocates for the importance of creating more inclusive and supportive environments for women in football coaching. The success stories emerging from the Chase football coaching programme serve as a testament to the positive impact of such initiatives in nurturing talent and promoting diversity in the world of sports coaching. For those interested in learning more about the Chase football coaching programme, further information can be found on their website.