More than 60 women’s football experts, instructors, technical development officers and confederation representatives from around the world have gathered in Vancouver this week for the FIFA women’s football instructors’ seminar. The five-day event kicked off on Saturday 27 June and will include theoretical and practical field sessions, debate, discussion and celebrations aimed at further developing the women’s game globally.
The seminar involves a number of current coaches including Côte d'Ivoire coach Clementine Toure and Scotland coach Anna Signeul as well as former coaches such as April Heinrichs, Carolina Morace and Hope Powell plus various other women’s football practitioners from across the member associations and confederations.
“Bringing this group of accomplished professionals together in Canada during the FIFA Women’s World Cup offers an incredible opportunity to further boost our women’s football programmes,” said Mayi Cruz Blanco, FIFA Senior Women’s Football Development Manager. "We are looking forward to spirited debate and engaging dialogue to grow the women’s game and drive it forward."
The seminar has five key objectives: · Deliver FIFA women’s football development programming updates · Discuss current women’s football trends in coaching · Analyse the FIFA women’s football education programme and look at potential improvements · Evaluate content for the FIFA women’s football coaching manual and courses · Further define FIFA women’s football instructor roles and responsibilities
For 2015-2018, FIFA has doubled its investment in women’s football compared to the last four-year cycle. The programmes dedicated to women’s football include a wide range of areas including grassroots, youth development, leagues and competitions, expertise and female leadership development in football.
“We have the responsibility to make sure that women’s football is 100 per cent a component of the mission and vision of all member associations,” said Jürg Nepfer, FIFA Head of Education and Technical Development.
One of FIFA’s women’s football development programmes, Live Your Goals, was launched at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011™ in Germany and has since grown to include over 200 projects around the world and been implemented by 50 countries. Live Your Goals was developed as part of FIFA’s long-term commitment to supporting women’s football worldwide and encouraging more girls and young women to participate in the sport.
To accelerate female participation in football, FIFA has also recently launched the Female Leadership Development Programme as well as the FIFA Scholarship for B-Licensed Female Coaches. The leadership programme will kick-off in Vancouver on Saturday 4 July.
Nepfer continued: “Development never stops. We thank the instructors, technical directors and experts for their commitment to bring the game forward. We are here to celebrate women’s football and discuss how to develop our sport further.”
At the conclusion of the seminar, the participants will join around 600 delegates from FIFA’s 209 member associations for the FIFA Women’s Football Symposium from 3-5 July in Vancouver. The symposium provides an opportunity for further discussion and analysis of structures and governance, competitions and development, as well as the business and economic elements that relate to women’s football.