The Female Coaching Network are proud to announce the launch of the FCN | UEFA B & Beyond Internship Programme, in partnership with Nike and Tottenham Hotspur FC for the 2022 – 2023 season.
This fully funded season long internship is a unique and innovative approach to addressing the lack of female coaches in the Women’s Super League and English Premier League. By creating a paid coaching pathway for talented female coaches, we are breaking down the barriers which prevent women from accessing networks, education and opportunities in two of the World’s biggest football leagues.
Throughout the 2022 – 2023 season, intern Danielle Boyd will be placed within the women’s academy at Tottenham Hotspur and be mentored throughout by an array of the club’s talented coaches. With experience to be gained across the clubs talent pathway, the Danielle will gain an education like no other.
Alongside the on-pitch education at the Club, the FCN are providing one to one coaching for the intern, facilitating their learning throughout and ensuring the coach reaches their maximum potential.
There are currently only 4 clubs in the Women’s Super League with a female head coach, with the Premier League yet to have their first. It is hoped this internship and it’s subsequent growth is the catalyst for more female technical coaches in the elite game across both the men’s and women’s games.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us to create change in the world of elite football coaching. Female coaches don’t have the same pathways available to them as their male peers, so it is essential that we work towards intentionally creating opportunities for them. A big thanks to Tottenham Hotspur FC and Nike for supporting this programme and for the hard work the intern herself has already displayed as she has been in place since November 2022.”
Vicky Huyton, Founder of the Female Coaching Network
In addition to the placement at Tottenham Hotspur, the Johan Cruyff Institute, an organisation created by the legendary player Johan Cruyff to educate the next generation of leaders in sport, are offering a discount to interns and coaches at each of the participating clubs. Coaches can enjoy courses such as “Football for Managers”, “Strategic Planning in Football” and “Football Business Fundamentals”.
Fore more information about the FCN | UEFA B & Beyond Internship Programme, or if your club would like to take part, please email us at info@femalecoachingnetwork.com
Rehanne Skinner, Head Coach of Tottenham Hotspur:
“We are proud to be working alongside Female Coaching Network and Nike to deliver an invaluable learning experience for Danielle. As a Club, we want to lead by example and this innovative internship clearly identifies a need to support women in ways that haven’t been provided elsewhere.
Over the years, I had to overcome so many barriers to reach the elite level that are still very much there today. Unfortunately, we’re not yet in a place where you gain respect from male peers being in the same setting, you are judged and challenged on your knowledge immediately because you are expected to not know instead of expected to know.
I led and delivered Coaching Education courses to groups of male coaches; I knew I had to work harder than everyone else to prove myself and gain their respect because as a woman you don’t have it when you walk through the door.
Looking back now, although the barriers I faced were really challenging to deal with at the time, they gave me even more motivation to work harder and succeed. You’ve got to be the first if you want to make a difference and clubs have a responsibility to create opportunities for female coaches because the pathway to the elite level for women is not straightforward.”
