By Gary Pleece, Founder of VYD
A few weeks ago we asked a simple question: will you be one of the women who helps change the face of girls’ football in Brighton?
Last weekend, seven coaches came together at The Skep, Moulsecoomb Place, for two days of theory, practical sessions and honest conversation, led by the brilliant Ivi Casagrande as part of our Life Goals coaching programme. It was participatory from the first minute to the last, and it was everything we hoped it would be – and more.
Two days that mattered
Across Saturday and Sunday, the group worked through the women’s and girls’ football landscape, built coaching identity and confidence, practised real training sessions, and dug into the physical development considerations that too often get left out of mainstream coaching courses. Lunch each day came courtesy of Bates Kitchen, part of a project in partnership with East Brighton Trust and the in-house catering operation from the local Bates Estate – good food, made locally, for a room full of women investing in their community.
But the numbers only tell you so much. What actually happened in that room is better told by the coaches themselves.
“The workshop was brilliant and very well-designed, striking the right balance between delivering knowledge and giving us space to reflect on and share our own experiences and challenges. I’d particularly highlight the emphasis on the human and relational side of the game – something that is easily lost amid the overwhelming amount of information and new technologies shaping football.”
“The confidence I left with has changed so much… Just love the support and how amazing it was.”
“I also really appreciated how female-focused the course was, covering topics such as periods, pregnancy and post-pregnancy considerations, alongside the growing body of research and resources available in women’s football. It was a really informative and practical course that I thoroughly enjoyed.”
“I loved the course and learning from Ivi! Thank you for the opportunity, Gary.”
Ivi Casagrande brought 21 years of coaching experience across Brazil, Europe, the USA and the UK into The Skep, but more than that, she brought an approach which was patient, generous, unafraid to slow down and let people find their own voice as coaches. Every single participant rated the overall usefulness of the workshops 5 out of 5.
A clear call for more
What struck us most, reading through the feedback, wasn’t just how positive it was, it was how clearly it pointed to what comes next. Every coach told us they want more: more mentoring from experienced coaches, more chances to watch other women and male coaches at work, more opportunities to meet and learn from each other, and more coaching opportunities for girls and women specifically.
Several asked for a clearer coaching pathway – qualifications, local club links, and ways to stay connected to the network this programme has already started building. One coach even proposed a future module on governance and safeguarding, reflecting on the responsibility coaches carry not just to teach the game but to notice, protect and support the players in front of them.
This is exactly the gap Life Goals was designed to close. Brighton doesn’t have a shortage of women who want to coach girls’ football. It has a shortage of pathways, support and paid opportunities that make it possible. These coaches have just shown us, in their own words, what that support needs to look like.
What happens now
Off the back of these two days, all seven coaches have been offered FA qualification support by VYD, and some who applied have been accepted for the 12 weeks of paid coaching experience with the Crew Club Hawks girls team, working alongside a more experienced coach. Several have also signed up to coach alongside me and team on match days and in training at both Hove Park Colts and Brighton and Hove District.
The coaches who submitted feedback have said yes to helping VYD and Ivi shape what the next stage of Life Goals looks like because this was never meant to be a one-off.
None of this happens without Sport England, whose funding and support made this entire pathway possible – from the workshops themselves, through to the paid coaching placements and qualifications that follow. As we move into the next phase of Life Goals, that partnership is what lets us turn a two-day workshop into a genuine, lasting pathway for women into girls’ football coaching across the city.
This is your moment too
If you read our first blog and thought “maybe coaching is something I could do” but didn’t sign up in time – there is still time; lots of it. Girls’ football in Brighton is growing fast. The touchline needs to grow with it. Join us.
Interested in getting involved in the next stage of Life Goals, as a coach or a supporter? Get in touch with VYD here, or find out more about donating to the programme.
