2026 Coaching

A Letter to Our Women Coaches

NYSA Community

A Letter to Our Women Coaches

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A Letter to Our Women Coaches

Dear Coach,

Thank you for being here. Women make up a fraction of youth soccer coaches nationwide — and yet the research is clear: when girls see women coaching, they stay in sport longer, perform better, and develop stronger leadership skills.

You belong on this field. Your presence matters more than you know.

NYSA is committed to supporting women coaches at every level. If you ever feel unsupported, unseen, or unsure — reach out. We want to hear from you.

— The NYSA Coaching Team

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Why It Matters — The Research
  • Girls are twice as likely to stay in sport when they have female coaches and role models (WeCOACH)
  • Only 27% of youth sports coaches are women
  • Female athletes coached by women report higher confidence and leadership self-efficacy
  • Women coaches are significantly underrepresented at every level — from recreational to elite

Source: WeCOACH — a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in coaching.

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What It Means for the Boys on Your Roster

If you coach a boys team — or a co-ed team — your presence matters in a different and equally important way.

Research on coaching behavior consistently finds that female coaches are more likely to create mastery-focused environments — emphasizing effort, growth, and skill development over winning and ego. They are more likely to use autonomy-supportive coaching: giving athletes voice, explaining reasoning, and fostering intrinsic motivation. They are less likely to pressure athletes to play through injury.

For boys specifically, a woman coaching their team sends a message that may be more powerful than anything said in practice: that competence, authority, and leadership are not male-only traits. Research on gender attitudes in adolescents shows that boys who have women in leadership roles — teachers, coaches, managers — show measurably more equitable gender attitudes later in life.

You are not just coaching soccer. You are shaping how the boys on your team understand what women are capable of. That is a meaningful thing.

On credibility: Research with female coaches of boys teams confirms that the path to respect runs through competence and consistency — the same path every coach walks. The coaches who report the best experiences say the initial skepticism, when it comes, fades quickly once practice starts.
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Resources for Women Coaches