THE CONCEPT

BACKGROUND

FC ROSENGARD

FC Rosengard is a Swedish club, with the women’s side is the regning Swedish Champions. The club is also having a men’s side campaigning in the fourth tier (Division 2), and numerous youth teams for boys and girls both on grassroot and elite level. Follow the club at www.fcrosengard.se

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FOOTBALL FOR LIFE

Football For Life is a women empowerment program run in rural district Umkhanyakude, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

The program is aiming at strengthening girls and women’s health and wellbeing, at the same time as they develop their ability as players and leaders.

The program is aiming at developing women’s football at large, and the pillars are:

• Players’ development, through holiday camps and an academy program
•  Coaches’ Development
• Referees’ Development
• Administrators’ Development
• Competition preparation
• Competition support

FEMALE COACHES’ DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The Female Coaches’ Development program is tailormade from the needs of the area.

A pilot was run 2016, with the support of Zelmerlow & Bjorkman Foundation, together with Hittarps IK.

2018 and 2019 the program has been run with the support from Svenska Postkodsstiftelsen.

In total close to 90 females from Umkhanyakude region have undertaken the training for coaches, 60 have been specifically trained in team and club administration and 40 females have done an introduction to refereeing.

One of the goals of the program is to prepare the coaches for the D License coaching course; by 2019 we have 45 female coaches that have received their license, and another 35 coaches that are on the waiting list.

AIM OF FEMALE COACHES’ DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The aim of the Female Coaches’ Development Programme, is to:

• Give potential female football coaches,
• with limited or no pre-knowledge,
• a base to start the coaching career from,
• where a holistic approach will be highlighted as a natural part of the leadership.

Through an increased number of female coaches, we are aiming for football to become:

ACCESSIBLE

We want girls and women to get access to be part of football family. A strong network of competent female leaders will be able advocate the girls’ equal rights to take their space in the field..

ATTRACTIVE

Football becomes attractive when practices and games are made challenging and fun. Competent coaches with a positive leadership, is the foundation of growth and development.

SAFE

Girls must feel safe in the football environment; safe not only from sexual abuse but also protected from injuries. With an increased number of female leaders the risk for sexual abuse is decreasing, and with competent coaches many injuries can be prevented.

EVER EVOLVING

Increased knowledge and confidence is turning a follower to become a leader who breaks new ground. To create a greater change we need to work togehter with a common vision, and the network of support and competence becomes a foundation from where women’s football can grow, and more girls and women get access to be part of the football family.

BEST PRACTICE/SUCCESS FACTORS

The background to the method guidelines on this web page is to share our experiences through out the program.

BUY IN

In order for the project to be successful important stakeholders need to be identified and get involved in the process. The Football Association is one of many stakeholders, but it’s also advicable to involve traditional leaders, governmental institutions and various community leaders both before and during the project.

SUPPORT

It is very challenging for the coaches to bring change, unless they have support from local community leaders.

The local Football Association need to be involved in all steps, in order for them to be able to guide and support the coaches.

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING

It is of great importance to understand the background of the participants, and the environment where they are to act as coaches.

ALIGNEMENT

Existing structures must be respected and accnowledged. All programs must be aligned to the motherbody.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants in Football For Life’s Female Coaches’ Development Porgam are all females from Umkhanyakude District in Northern KwaZulu Natal, with little or no pre-knowledge in football.

Potential candidates have mainly been recommended through the Local Football Association and School Sport. The set requirement have been:

”Females with leadership personality and a big football interest.”

SELECTION PROCESS

Suitable and interested candidates invited for an introduction workshop, where:

• Candidates get a clear understanding of the aim and set up of the programme.
• The facilitators get the chance, through activities, to observe the potential participants. Such activites have been:
  

  Activity	Observed
  Football practice	Interest, activity level and football ability.
  Group work	Communication skills, engagement and confidence.
  Four corners	Confidence to stand for an opinion and ability to argue for the cause.

• Interested coaches to apply for participation.

TRANSFORMATION

The program is facilitating the transformation, for the participants with very limited pre-knowledge, to become beginner coaches ready to be part of formal training. The process is more likely to be successful if it is anchored in the participants lived reality.

SET UP

The Female Coaches’ Development Programme is run over three weekends, with a minimum of two months between phases.

The set up is optimizing the learning by:

• Limiting the amount of new information
• Implementation of new ideas at home
• Questions and reflections brought back to the next phase
• Feedback given through group discussions, both by participants sharing ideas and advices from facilitators.
• In each phase repetition is made from the previous course.

CONTENT

The Female Coaches’ Development Programme has been developed to give a broad understanding of football, as it is of great importance to have a contextual understanding. Main focus has been put on:

• Leadership
  Creating a conducive environment for development. Holistic health. Building self confidence and self-esteem.
• Coaching
  Planning and running practice. Coaching in games. Basics of goal keeper coaching
• Administration
  Football structures. Guiding documents. Club and team management. Planning of events.

CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT

In order for learning to take place, an accomodative and safe environment is needed, in order for the participants to feel comfortable and free to step out of their safe zone.

• Small group
  maximum 15 participants
• Groundrules
  set by participants
• Identify strengths
  know and utilize the participants’ strengths; a coach that is also a referree can facilitate a session on the Laws of the game, whereas a police officer can share information on child and women abuse.
• Inhouse facilitators
  experts brought in where needed, otherwise facilitation made by inhouse facilitators with a combinaiton of contextual and cultural understanding, as well as knowledge of standards that need to be met in the formal training.
• Personal relationships
  The relationship between the facilitators and participants should be the one of mentor and mentee.

PROGRESSION

The program is built on progression; it is of great importance that the participants constantly are challenged, without being thrown into the deep end of the pool. The course is moving from general knowledge towards more specific knowledge.

In the field based practice sessions, the participants are acting solely as players during the first two phases, with class room based discussions facilitated after completion. Only in the third phase the participants are planning and conducting practices.

PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION

Over and above the practical implementation in the coaches home teams, they are also invited to be part of the Football For Life player development programme; during camps they are getting the chance to be part of a very organized and professional set up.

REDUCING OBSTACLES

For successful implementation it is important to identify and overcome challenges faced by the participants. We have:

• Provided transport
• Accommodated children and nannies, when needed
• Negotiated with families and employees, when needed
• Equipped the coaches
• Provided material

FELXIBILITY

For successful implementation flexibility is needed. The content has changed over time, both based on the need of the group and by influence of latest developments in the field.

DEVELOPMENTS

It is important to continoulsy evaluate the program, and if possible adjust to identified needs.

During the first year the focus of FCDP was solely on developing coaches, whereas the second year both administrators and referees were also capacitated. The more female leaders involved in football, the better support system and the better the environment for girls to play football.

For the future we want to put further capacitate the coaches on players’ health, leadership & life skills, goal keeping and talent development.

FOLLW UP

Change takes time, and it is important to give continous support. Our platforms are:

• Network meetings
  Arranged by local coordinators. The Local Football Assocciation is always part of the meetings, in order for the latest information to be passed on and challenges adressed.
• WhatsApp group
  With all female leaders in football. A platform for sharing information and ideas.
• Individual follow ups