7 Influential Women Leading Girls Club Soccer
Raise your hand if your girls’ club soccer team had a female head coach! Now take a moment to think of how many women actually had lead staff roles for the club.
To put it plainly, it is incredibly disheartening to see a lack of female leadership in girls club soccer. However, some amazing women are taking charge and opening up the road for others to follow. Here are seven great examples of highly influential women leading girls club soccer!
Amy Griffin
The Girls Academy league is in good hands under president and founding member Amy Griffin. Griffin won the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Women’s Soccer Award of Excellence Winner. She is the Executive Director of the OL Reign Academy.
A former player herself, she was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team during the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup. She played at the collegiate level prior, winning National Goalkeeper of the Year.
But even more inspirational is her voluntarily serving as Head Coach for the U.S. Deaf Soccer Women’s National Team.
Congratulations to @OLReignAcademy Executive Director Amy Griffin, who has been selected as the 2021 Women’s Soccer Award of Excellence recipient! @AmyGriffin65 will be honored at the annual Coaches of Women’s Soccer Breakfast at the 2022 Convention.
➡️ https://t.co/JM20rjCmXE pic.twitter.com/pFiqLaSfPb
— United Soccer Coaches (@UnitedCoaches) November 18, 2021
Jen Winnagle
After seven years with the ECNL, Jen Winnagle was announced as the first ECNL Chief Operations Officer last November. Previously serving as the ECNL Girls Commissioner, Winnagle first joined the ECNL Girls as the very first Member Services Manager back in 2014. Along with this experience, she brings in her coaching expertise from her time at the University of Richmond. Under her leadership, the ECNL Girls expanded by more than double its size. Now as the COO, Winnagle will oversee all operations, not only for ECNL Girls, but for ECNL Boys too!
Jen Winnagle Named @TheECNL Chief Operations Officer
Read More: https://t.co/01aKtl3dBb pic.twitter.com/srGxLok8IK
— The ECNL (@TheECNL) November 1, 2021
Michele Krzisnik
In what can only be described as a “flex move,” Michele Krzisnik became Director of Coaching for a top ECNL club, the Michigan Hawks. History was made as she joined the club of a few female directors of coaching in the country. Krzisnik’s career really came full circle as she played for the club herself in her youth.
TRAILBLAZER MICHELE KRZISNIK ON BEING THE STATE’S ONLY FEMALE DIRECTOR OF COACHING
Michigan Hawks’ Female Director of Coaching on Choosing ECNL, Developing Players… https://t.co/g3pHVQVDxN
— SoccerToday (@SoccerToday_USA) March 4, 2019
She went on to play and coach collegiately before returning to her start. When Krzisnik took the DOC role in 2019, she was the only female coaching a top girls club team in Michigan. Talk about breaking glass ceilings!
Amanda Vandervort
Amanda Vandervort became the inaugural USL Super League president at the end of 2021. She brings in her vast coaching experience with youth and adult women’s and men’s soccer, an impressive and uncommon feat.
Vandervort was Head Coach of NYU’s women’s soccer for years and held the Chief Women’s Football Officer position for FIFPRO. She also served as the fifth female president of United Soccer Coaches. Vandervort will take charge of everything related to the unique youth-to-professional women’s soccer track the league will follow.
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It will be exciting to see which direction she takes the new professional D2 Women’s League!
Tricia Taliaferro
It’s only been a couple of weeks since Tricia Taliaferro was named Head Coach of Tampa Bay United for its inaugural season competing in the USL W League. In addition, she has been the Technical Director for the team, where she oversees the ECNL girls program.
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Taliaferro’s experience includes years of coaching for the USYNT as head of the U-16 team and assistant for the U-17 team. Recently, she was selected as Head Coach for the US Para National Team, who will participate in the first Women’s Para World Cup later this year. Taliaferro certainly stays busy, also serving as the id2 Girls Director for U.S. Club Soccer.
Cindy Cone
Cindy Cone is the stuff of legends. She became the first-ever female president of the US Soccer Federation in 2020 and recently was re-elected to continue in that role. She still commits her time to the game, currently serving as the North Carolina FC Youth Girls’ Director in Durham/Chapel Hill, where she resides.
I’m incredibly honored by the opportunity to continue to work with leaders across our game to take our entire Federation forward, not back. Let’s get to work. https://t.co/IDilN0HB5x
— Cindy Cone (@cone_cindy) March 5, 2022
Cone definitely has a plethora of expertise to share, from winning the inaugural US Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Award to winning the FIFA World Cup with the USWNT.
Beyond her playing accolades, she has coached collegiately and professionally, notably leading the Portland Thorns to win the first-ever NWSL Championship. So to all the NCFC Youth girls: enjoy working with an icon!
Lesle Gallimore
I know I already said that the Girls Academy was in good hands under president Amy Griffin, but I’m doubling down on that statement because, Lesle Gallimore! She became the first-ever Commissioner of the league back in 2020 after her incredibly long run coaching women’s soccer at the University of Washington. Gallimore has an impressive resume that many would be jealous of; seriously, I’d run out of space if I listed everything. She spent 26 seasons as head coach of University of Washington women’s soccer, earned two Pac-12 Coach of the Year Awards, and coached several All-American and NWSL players, including Hope Solo.
In placing our league at the forefront of the Girls game we have searched for the absolute best leader possible. We are excited to announce the very first Girls Academy Commissioner – Lesle Gallimore. We are so thrilled Lesle has chosen us as her next journey. #WelcomeLesle pic.twitter.com/MeZtAumysS
— Girls Academy (@GAcademyLeague) June 26, 2020
If anything is certain, it’s that girls club soccer will continue to grow and improve under the influence of these incredible women. So let them inspire you to reach your grandest aspirations; after all, if they can break barriers, any girl can.
Featured image via Getty Images
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