Women's Soccer Coaching

One of US college soccer’s most successful coaches, BECKY BURLEIGH led  the University of Florida program for 25 years and coached a star-studded Orlando Pride. She talks principles, people and Marta with CARRIE DUNN.

In 1980, self-confessed soccer novice ALICEANN WILBER became William Smith College’s first head coach – 44 years, 640 wins and two national titles later, she is a Hall of Famer who tells CARRIE DUNN she still loves her job.

Gotham City head coach Juan Carlos Amoros, 2023’s NWSL coach of the year, opens up to CARRIE DUNN about adapting to different cultures, delegating wisely, an emotional Spurs reunion and not being a ‘superhero’.

When it comes to understanding player behaviour, human development specialist Sally Needham says neuroscience holds the key. She explains to Carrie Dunn how to harness it and transform coaching relationships.

A goalkeeper grounded in futsal, Paige Palazzolo is now head coach of the US Women’s Amputee National Team. She tells Carrie Dunn how she came to be in the role and the challenges and triumphs it can bring.  Plus Women's Soccer Coaching Editor Hannah Duncan, and Editor-in-chief, Steph Fairbairn, discuss three years of WSC! Read the article: Women's Soccer Coaching - Coaching Advice - Pai...

Earlier this year, Chelsea Noonan took a leap of faith - leaving behind what she describes as her “dream job” to move halfway across the world for a new challenge. Previously, Noonan worked for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) as a development officer and as assistant coach for the U17s women’s national team.  Now, she is in Melbourne, working with Women’s A-League team Western United in...

Carolina Morace is the new leader of the pack at London City Lionesses. But what lured the Italy icon to England’s second tier? She discusses the reasons and how she gets her playing style across with Steph Fairbairn. Read the article: Women's Soccer Coaching - Coaching Advice - Carolina Morace: Leading London City Lionesses (womenssoccercoaching.com) Get more from Women's Soccer Coachin...

In a year’s time, history will be made for Lincoln University of Missouri when its women’s soccer team begins its first-ever season. The team will compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, an NCAA Division II level league. It will be led by Leah Stringer, a former interim head coach at Missouri Western and assistant coach at Northeast Texas Community College. On the honour of being Lincoln Uni...

“Success, for me, is a process,” says Boston University women’s soccer head coach Casey Brown. “It is the process of trying to become great,” she adds. “It is the process of trying to become better every day. It’s the journey. “That’s how we view it in our program. That’s how I try to view it in the way I lead and coach. “It is not a destination but a journey and a process that we get to go on eve...

In the final episode of our special series, Steph Fairbairn and Matt Ross, Republic of Korea Assistant coach, catch up after Korea held Germany to a 1-1 draw. Matt reflects on a brilliant performance and result, ponders why it took so long for Korea to show what they can do, explains what life will look like for him over the next few weeks, and offers coaches of all levels some solid advice...

In episode three of our special series, Steph Fairbairn and Matt Ross, Republic of Korea Assistant coach, chat once more. It's the day after Korea's 1-0 loss to Morocco, which leaves them at the bottom of their World Cup group. Matt reflects honestly on his team's performance throughout the tournament so far,  shares more about his support system, and looks ahead to Korea's fin...

In the second episode of our special series, Steph Fairbairn and Matt Ross, Republic of Korea Assistant coach, chat again. This time, it's the day after Korea's 2-0 defeat to Colombia.  Matt shares his thoughts on the game, how the team's attention has quickly turned to the next fixture against Morocco, and what his schedule is like as a coach at the World Cup...

In the first episode in a special series, Steph Fairbairn sits down with Matt Ross, Republic of Korea Assistant coach, to get an insight into what goes into being a soccer coach on the biggest stage of them all. It's the night before Korea's first match - a Group H fixture against Colombia. Matt shares how the team have prepared, how they want to play, and, importantly, if he thinks he&a...

In July 2021, Molly Bartrip rejoined Tottenham Hotspur, the club where she had started her career as a nine-year-old. Bartrip was 25 at the time of her homecoming, which she called a “full circle” moment. She had been away from the club for 16 years, most recently at Arsenal and Reading, and hit 100 WSL appearances in April this year.  However, “full circle” also referred to the journey she’d been...

For the first time since 2007, Denmark are going to the Women’s World Cup. An outstanding qualifying campaign – winning all eight games, scoring 40 goals and conceding only two - was built on the lessons from last year’s Euros. On that occasion, Denmark didn’t get out of a group which also contained Germany, Spain and Finland. Heading into this tournament, though, they are equipped with more exper...

In the first season of the USL W League - a pre-professional women’s soccer league in the USA - Minnesota Aurora lived up to its name and shone. Nicole Lukic’s team topped the Heartland Division, winning 11 of 12 games and drawing the other, scoring 35 goals and boasting the second highest goal difference across all the league’s seven divisions. Sadly, they saved their first loss for the champions...

In December 2021, Meg Ryan Nemzer took on her dream job – head women’s soccer coach at the University of Maryland. For the Maryland native, getting offered the role was a ‘full circle’ moment.  Nemzer attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she was co-captain for three consecutive seasons and a key pillar of what many called the best defense in the country. In 2006, the team conceded just...

For Sarah Lowdon, the past year has been somewhat of a whirlwind. She went from being unemployed - a volunteer coach at college level - to acting head coach on the US’s biggest stage. Having left Penn State University in 2021 and joined NWSL team Houston Dash in March 2022 as an assistant coach, Lowdon was elevated to acting head coach just weeks later. She kept that role for half a season. “It wa...

In 1992, the backpass rule was brought in by soccer lawmakers IFAB - and inadvertantly changed one player’s career. Introduced to discourage time-wasting, the rule dictates that a goalkeeper cannot handle the ball following an intentional pass from a teammate, made using the foot.  It had a significant effect on the role of the goalkeeper and how they are coached, both technically and tactically....

Anja’s journey - from being a lone girl in boys’ teams to among the most qualified and well-respected female coaches in Denmark - has been one in which she has “said yes to every opportunity”, As a player, she worked her way through the youth national teams, before gaining seven caps for the senior team. A midfielder, she was part of the Danish squad at the 2001 European Championships, where they...

Mirelle van Rijbroek is the person currently in charge of unearthing the next rough diamonds to be shaped into sparkling gems. Since 2017, van Rijbroek has been the US Soccer Federation’s (USSF) Director of Talent Identification for the girls’ pathway, a job she says is more a “way of life”. Born in the Netherlands, van Rijbroek moved to Australia at the age of 22 to pursue her dream of playing so...

On November 20, under the lights at Sky Stadium, and in front of up to 34,500 fans, Wellington Phoenix will make history. When the team kicks off their 2022-23 A-League Women campaign, it will be the first time a professional women’s soccer team from New Zealand have played on the country’s soil. Phoenix joined the league last season as an expansion team, but - like their male counterparts - playe...

In their first year as an NWSL expansion team, and despite finishing eighth in the standings, Angel City FC had one of the best defensive records in the division, bettered only by the top three. It is something the new Los Angeles team prides themselves on, says head coach Freya Coombe. And it is no coincidence that they have achieved it with Coombe in charge. Indeed, in the 2021 season, when she...

Rachel Lever is women’s youth academy manager at Manchester City, overseeing the under-16s and under-21s. She also lives, and coaches, with endometriosis. It is a debilitating condition, where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Some of the key symptoms include severe pain that stops or restricts normal activity, feeling...

In November 2017, Carla Ward joined Sheffield United - then in the fourth tier of the English women’s pyramid - as player assistant manager. She had just left United’s cross-city neighbours Sheffield FC, who were in the second-tier WSL 2. It was the classic case of an experienced head dropping down a couple of divisions to offer the benefit of their experience, both on and off the pitch.  But just...