When I attended FALA24 in July 2024, I knew I wanted my project to focus on increasing the number of female coaches in sports. Having started coaching in September 2023, I noticed the lack of women like me in the field, and I was determined to help address this. 

By September 2024, I launched Shesthecoach, a project dedicated to encouraging more women to get involved in coaching. We currently have an Instagram page (@shesthecoachuk) and a website (Shesthecoach.co.uk). The website offers step-by-step guides for obtaining coaching qualifications, inspiring stories from women in the sports industry, and details about upcoming events. It’s still a work in progress, but I have plans to expand it in the coming months. 

Starting this project wasn’t easy. I knew my goal but had no idea where to begin. Like coaching, I started breaking it down to the basics helped me find a starting point, which is why I created the website. It provided an accessible platform to reach a broad audience while offering support and resources. It also gave me a foundation that I can adapt and grow as I develop the project further. 

The name Shesthecoach came to me during a conversation with my dad. We threw around different ideas until we both had a similar thought. It was inspired by a common experience I had while coaching. Opposition teams often assumed my male assistant coaches were in charge (and Dads), who were then quickly corrected with, “No, she’s the coach,”, hence the name Shesthecoach. Instead of keeping that thought as a moment of negativity, I turned that moment into a powerful message to empower other women in coaching.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through this journey is that progress takes time. Right now, Shesthecoach is still small, with posts receiving around 600 to 1,200 views. But I’m confident that, with time and hard work, it will grow into something much bigger. If you’re working to make a difference or start something new, remember to be patient. Change doesn’t happen overnight—take your time and trust the process. It’s a bit like coaching in that instance, you’re not necessarily going to see an immediate affect, its what happens over seasons that counts.