Vanessa Maidment

When my daughter started playing football for a local U8’s grassroots team in 2020 I noticed there were no female coaches in the club. I have a love of sport and stepped forward to help coach her team putting myself out of my comfort zone as I had no previous experience in coaching.
4 years on I am now a qualified Head Coach for her now U12’s grassroots team which are in Division 1 out of 5 Divisions and also Head Coach for the Girls District football team. I give up lots of my time to plan sessions, fixtures and all the other things that go along with being a coach on a daily basis which can be exhausting.
However, when I see the impact it is having on the girls I coach it makes it all worthwhile, not only are they developing as players but they are becoming confident, young woman with high self esteem and that is enough for me to carry on.
To get more experience in the female game for myself I now also play football for my local ladies team.
I am so passionate about using sport to help inspire and develop young people especially woman and girls.