We need more female coaches - Walker-Brown

Chairperson of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Women's programme, Elaine Walker-Brown, said that there is a need for more females to get involved in coaching in order for better development of women's football locally.

The JFF has attracted a record 18 females for the FIFA intermediary coaching course for coaches of female players from next Monday until Friday at the University of the West Indies/

JFF/Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence. The course begins at 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day.

"FIFA and CONCACAF is going that way. It has changed. That is why this thing (coaching course) that is coming up on Monday is very important," Walker-Brown told The Gleaner yesterday.

"If we are serious about the development of female football, it is necessary to have more female coaches involved. We are so way behind in everything. Last year, when we went to the Under-15 CONCACAF tournament in the USA, we could see the quality of play from the girls, and majority of the coaches were females," the veteran administrator pointed out.

"When you look at it, there are very few male coaches who can connect with the girls and discuss certain issues affecting the females. The female coaches will get them (players) to talk about things as they can relate to the girls in a better way," Walker-Brown explained.

"I want to see better for the women's football. I am in my last four years that run until 2019. I don't know if I will reign again after that," the JFF director disclosed.

Meanwhile, Walker-Brown also said the female programme needs support and noted that there won't be any local competition this year. It will be replaced by a five-a-side competition in November.

"Finance is lacking, and we don't have the sponsorship support to continue the women's league this year," said Walker-Brown, who also noted that the course will highlight the importance of proper behavioural patterns among the females, while pointing to some of the issues affecting the fraternity.

REBRANDING

"On Monday, we will use the opportunity to rebrand the programme. We want to educate the players about their behaviour because that is the main reason we are not getting finance for the programme."

According to Walker-Brown, certain lifestyle choices and the behaviour of some females involved in the sport have turned away old sponsors and potential sponsors.

"We need to get rid of certain behaviour and deal with the development of female football. They should leave their lifestyle out of the football. It is time for us to take off, but we need the help from others," she noted, while appealing for more corporate and media support.

National Under-17 coach Toni Cowan will assist Andrea Rodebaugh during the one-week course. Another outstanding female coach is Tracey Reid, who guided Granville United to the Western Super League title two seasons ago. Her club failed to qualify for the Red Stripe Premier League in 2016.