The UConn women’s ice hockey team faces off against Northeastern in a two-game series this weekend. The puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday at home and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in Boston.
The UConn women’s hockey team defeated Holy Cross in a two-game series throughout the first weekend of November. They seek to do the same against Northeastern this weekend. Photo by Madison Hendricks/The Daily Campus.
Looking back on history, the in-conference rivals date back to 2001. From their first meeting to a 2010-2011 clash, Connecticut boasted a winning 17-9-6 record over Northeastern. In their final meeting of the 2010-2011 season, Northeastern flipped the script and UConn went on to lose over 35 games from 2011 to 2023. However, the Huskies snapped the streak last November to come out on top 3-0 and proceeded to boast a 3-0 winning record over Northeastern last season.
Coming into this matchup, Connecticut has all the momentum on their side. After taking a pair of wins last weekend against Holy Cross, the team lands at No. 10 in the rankings. As for the matchup against the Crusaders, shooting was not an issue as the Huskies attempted 70 combined shots between games one and two. Finding the back of the net, however, was the problem, as they only scored two apiece in both matches.
Photo by Madison Hendricks/The Daily Campus.
This weekend, UConn’s defense will be key once again as the Huskies were a dominant force against the Crusaders. Holy Cross put up a combined total of 32 shots in the two-game series, which is just half of what Connecticut produced. Dominating in the net, the impressive goalkeeper duo Tia Chan and Megan Warrener saved 31 shots against the Crusader. Chan started game one, allowing Holy Cross’ only goal to get past her. Making changes to the lineup the next day, Warrener finished the series. It should be interesting to see who head coach Chris MacKenzie puts in as the goalkeeper come game time, as both options are great.
In addition, watching out for Claire Murdoch is a must for Northeastern. After contributing a goal in both contests against Holy Cross, the freshman was named this week’s Hockey East Rookie of The Week. In both matches, Murdoch combined for 12 total shots, keeping the goalie on her feet.
Taking a look at Northeastern, the team plans to get back on track after splitting with New Hampshire in their two-game series. After putting up four points in the first match, the Huskies were shut out in the second. Despite taking the loss, players like Holly Abela pressured the goaltender, attempting five shots, followed by Jules Constantinople with four of her own.
Heading into the matchup, UConn has a solid chance of winning. Sweeping the team would bring them to a four-game winning streak. Looking to intercept those plans, Northeastern aims to take a chip off their shoulder after losing in the 2023-2024 Hockey East Championship.
The UConn women’s ice hockey team faces off against Northeastern in a two-game series this weekend. The puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday at home and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in Boston.
The UConn women’s hockey team defeated Holy Cross in a two-game series throughout the first weekend of November. They seek to do the same against Northeastern this weekend. Photo by Madison Hendricks/The Daily Campus.
Looking back on history, the in-conference rivals date back to 2001. From their first meeting to a 2010-2011 clash, Connecticut boasted a winning 17-9-6 record over Northeastern. In their final meeting of the 2010-2011 season, Northeastern flipped the script and UConn went on to lose over 35 games from 2011 to 2023. However, the Huskies snapped the streak last November to come out on top 3-0 and proceeded to boast a 3-0 winning record over Northeastern last season.
Coming into this matchup, Connecticut has all the momentum on their side. After taking a pair of wins last weekend against Holy Cross, the team lands at No. 10 in the rankings. As for the matchup against the Crusaders, shooting was not an issue as the Huskies attempted 70 combined shots between games one and two. Finding the back of the net, however, was the problem, as they only scored two apiece in both matches.
Photo by Madison Hendricks/The Daily Campus.
This weekend, UConn’s defense will be key once again as the Huskies were a dominant force against the Crusaders. Holy Cross put up a combined total of 32 shots in the two-game series, which is just half of what Connecticut produced. Dominating in the net, the impressive goalkeeper duo Tia Chan and Megan Warrener saved 31 shots against the Crusader. Chan started game one, allowing Holy Cross’ only goal to get past her. Making changes to the lineup the next day, Warrener finished the series. It should be interesting to see who head coach Chris MacKenzie puts in as the goalkeeper come game time, as both options are great.
In addition, watching out for Claire Murdoch is a must for Northeastern. After contributing a goal in both contests against Holy Cross, the freshman was named this week’s Hockey East Rookie of The Week. In both matches, Murdoch combined for 12 total shots, keeping the goalie on her feet.
Taking a look at Northeastern, the team plans to get back on track after splitting with New Hampshire in their two-game series. After putting up four points in the first match, the Huskies were shut out in the second. Despite taking the loss, players like Holly Abela pressured the goaltender, attempting five shots, followed by Jules Constantinople with four of her own.
Heading into the matchup, UConn has a solid chance of winning. Sweeping the team would bring them to a four-game winning streak. Looking to intercept those plans, Northeastern aims to take a chip off their shoulder after losing in the 2023-2024 Hockey East Championship.
The drone spying scandal that erupted during Canada’s women’s football team’s 2024 Paris Olympics campaign was a symptom of a “past pattern of an unacceptable culture”, Canada Soccer has said after an independent review.
The Canadian women’s camp made global headlines after a drone was allegedly used to spy on a training session of one of their opponents, New Zealand. The head coach, Bev Priestman, was subsequently banned by Fifa for a year, while analyst Joseph Lombardi and the assistant coach Jasmine Mander were also banned following the allegations, and Priestman was removed from her role.
On Friday, the sport’s governing body in Canada, Canada Soccer, said it had received the report of an independent reviewer “hired by the organisation’s board of directors to investigate the illegal use of drones at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games”, and the organisation’s senior officials provided their initial reactions while promising a more extensive response in the coming days.
Kevin Blue, the chief executive and general secretary of Canada Soccer, said: “Our initial review of the conclusions of the independent investigator reveals that the drone incident in Paris was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams.
“While we are being thoughtful about how best to address the findings, we also want to move decisively. To that end, we will release key conclusions and next steps within a week.”
Canada managed to reach the quarter-finals in the Paris Olympics, despite being deducted six points for the spying scandal. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Peter Augruso, the president of Canada Soccer, added: “We are committed to renewing our organisation, and ensuring Canada Soccer is a federation that people can be proud of. We know that more needs to be done and change takes time. We appreciate the support and patience of partners, families and fans, and look forward to sharing our next steps soon.”
Friday’s statement added that lawyer Sonia Regenbogen, of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark, LLP, had conducted the independent investigation and had considered evidence from a wide range of people, including coaches, administrative staff, former employees, and Canada Soccer’s CEO and board chair.
Despite being deducted six points during the group stage of the Olympic tournament in the wake of the scandal, Canada progressed to the quarter-finals with three victories on the pitch, before being eliminated by Germany on penalties.
After a regular season in which the Lycoming College women’s soccer team won a school-record 14 games to earn the No. 2 seed in the Landmark Conference Championship, the team will host its first postseason game in program history, a conference semifinal against No. 6 Moravian, on Thursday at 7 p.m. at UPMC Field.
Tickets for the game cost $10 for adults (18+) and $5 for both minors (ages 10-17). Landmark Conference students, faculty and staff can enter free with their campus ID. Tickets can be purchased online. Lycoming season passes will not be accepted for Landmark Conference Championship events.
The winner of the Thursday’s game at UPMC Field will face the winner of the other Landmark Conference semifinal between No. 1 Scranton and No. 4 Drew, which will occur at the same time as the Williamsport semifinal.
The Warriors (14-2-3 overall, 6-1-2 Landmark Conference) finished the regular season ranked second in the Landmark Conference in scoring (2.053) and saves (103). The Warriors led the conference with 123 corner kicks and finished fourth with a .842 save percentage.
Five players — sophomore Ella Magee (9), sophomore and Lewisburg grad Mikayla Long (9), junior Aubrey Williamson (6), junior Abigail Umhoefer (4), and sophomore Julia Bidelspach (4) — are amongst the conference’s top 15 goal-scorers. Magee and Umhoefer are also tied for third in the league with three game-winning goals a piece.
Williamson leads the conference with seven assists and four other Warriors also rank in the top 15 in the Landmark: sophomore Kaitlyn Born (6), senior Haley Schafer (5), Magee (3), and Long (3).
The duo of Long and Magee are the only pair in the conference from the same team with more than 20 points, while Williamson is just a point away from the mark, having posted six goals and seven assists.
Junior goalkeeper Riley Block leads the conference with a .904 save percentage and is fourth in goals against average (0.633) and shutouts per game (0.333). She is 10-1-2 this season.
Moravian beat No. 3 seed Elizabethtown, 1-0, in double overtime, when Carly Pyatt scored with 4:50 remaining in the period.
Moravian keeper Riley Spingler is second in the conference with a 0.511 goals against average and a .879 save percentage. Her 10 shutouts is third in the conference. Carly Pyatt is fifth in the conference with seven goals and sixth with 17 points.
NCAA soccer rules change for postseason play with the addition of overtime and penalty kick shootouts. If the teams are tied at the end of a regulation, 90-minute game, then the teams will play two additional full 10-minute periods. If neither team is ahead at the end of the overtime periods, the teams will advance to a shootout. Each team takes five shots, which must be taken by different players, and the team that makes more successful kicks is declared the victor. Shoot-outs finish as soon as one team posts an insurmountable lead. After five rounds, additional rounds are added until there is a winner.
After a regular season in which the Lycoming College women’s soccer team won a school-record 14 games to earn the …
CLEVELAND – Lock Haven men’s wrestling standout Wyatt Henson has been named the Mid-American Conference (MAC) …
Alexis Ohanian is more than just a tech mogul and Serena Williams’ biggest fan—he’s a passionate advocate for women’s sports. Whether it’s through investing in the game or speaking up for equality, the Reddit co-founder never shies away from pushing for the changes he wants to see. And his recent visit to his alma mater was no different. Taking the stage, Ohanian once again championed the challenges women face in sports, reminding the athletes of the opportunities they deserve.
The 41-year-old visited the University of Virginia to cheer up for the women’s basketball team. Ohanian ensured to boost their confidence with an intriguing message as he reflected that women athletes deserve immense limelight just like their male counterparts and expressed his desire to keep working to support them throughout their careers.
In a video that surfaced on Instagram, Ohanian can be seen addressing some female basketball players. He promised that the next time he visits them, he would try to bring his wife, Williams, as well. He lauded the coach of the team as well and said, “Coach, credit to you too. Their foundation starts here. It’s just so compelling and I see it out there. It’s gonna be a lot of fun to watch this program.” But what caught the attention was his remarkable admiration for female athletes and his desire to bring about a change.
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Speaking further to the athletes, Ohanian said, “I will keep doing the work on the court and off the court, will take care of the rest. This is the era of excellence of women in sports. So no matter how you are thinking like ‘how, well, should I do it now,’ like You all DESERVE EVERY BIT OF THIS!” Continuing further, he also motivated them to understand their worth. “There is a new bar, there is a new standard Accept nothing less.” Ohanian has continued to take several measures to promote women’s sports and one such example was his initiative in the form of Athlos NYC.
For the unversed, the event was a novel, women-only track and field event through which Ohanian desires to bring a positive change in the lives of female athletes. He announced the beginning of the initiative in April this year and highlighted that his venture Seven Seven Six would invest directly in the event. Athletes from the United States and abroad competed for a total purse of at least $500,000 in the event, with the winner securing $60,000. Besides, Ohanian also invests in Angel City FC, a women’s soccer team based in New York. Remember, the businessman has continued to highlight the underinvestment that has been in place when it comes to women’s sports.
When Alexis Ohanian credited his wife Serena Williams for his passion for women’s sports
Alexis Ohanian looks up to his wife as much as the world does. He has often highlighted the positive influence the tennis great had on him and has reflected on how his life changed after meeting the 23-time Grand Slam champion. One of the many positive influences, according to Ohanian, is the awareness he started to develop about women’s sports after meeting with Williams.
Ohanian attended Squawk Box’s discussion on CNBC in July this year and deliberated on the rise of women’s sports. Speaking in the interview, he credited his wife for the successful initiatives he took and lauded the star player. “The core phenomenon here probably came from a certain someone I’m married to, right? Serena Williams is the prototype for how you can show women’s sports is and can be and should be on the same level as men’s,” he said. Continuing further, he revealed how his views changed after meeting Williams.
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“To be clear, I jumped on this bandwagon really when I met my wife. That was the first time I really watched tennis as a sport. But I really went whole hog in 2019; now I’m really into it.” Both Ohanian and Williams have made significant contributions when it comes to women’s sports. As time evolves, it would be interesting to what new efforts does the Reddit co-founder put in to make significant changes to the field.
Here’s everything you need to know leading up to the 2024 NCAA DI women’s soccer selection show that will reveal the full 64-team championship field for the single-elimination tournament.
The championship bracket will be revealed during a selection show on Monday, Nov. 11 live-streamed here on NCAA.com. Thirty teams earn automatic qualification, with the remaining 34 teams selected at-large by the Division I Women’s Soccer Committee — 16 teams will be seeded Nos. 1-4.
2024 NCAA DI women’s soccer tournament schedule
Selection show: 4 p.m. ET Monday, Nov. 11 on NCAA.com
First round: Friday- Sunday, Nov. 15,16 or 17
Second and third rounds: Friday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 24
Here’s a look back at last year’s championship bracket with Florida State claiming their fourth national title with a 5-1 win over Stanford.
NCAA DI women’s soccer championship history
The North Carolina Tar Heels have the most all-time national titles (22) while the reigning national champs Florida State have claimed four titles in the past decade. Here is every champion and runner-up in the last ten years:
Tracking 2024 DI women’s college soccer conference automatic bids for the NCAA tournament
Keep track of all 30 DI women’s soccer automatic qualifiers, as teams clinch conference championships for a guaranteed spot in the 2024 NCAA tournament.
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Florida State downs No. 4 North Carolina women’s soccer, defending home-turf
No. 17 Florida State women’s soccer took down No. 4 North Carolina 4-2 in a huge ACC clash to extend their home unbeaten streak to 25 games.
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NCAA DI women’s soccer committee to reveal in-season top 16 Thursday, Oct. 17 on ESPNU
The NCAA DI women’s soccer committee will reveal their in-season top 16 on Oct. 17 during the halftime of Florida State vs. Virginia, broadcast on ESPNU.
Rajgir: The Indian women’s hockey Team has arrived in Gaya, marking the start of the first international hockey tournament hosted in the state.
The Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 will take place from November 11 to 20, featuring defending champions India alongside Paris Olympics silver medallists China, as well as Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand, all set against the mesmerising backdrop of the historic town of Rajgir.
Led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur, India will commence their campaign against Malaysia on November 11, followed by a match against Korea on November 12. After a day of rest, India will face Thailand on November 14. On November 16, India will challenge Paris Olympics silver medallists China and conclude the pool stage with a match against Japan on November 17.
“We have been training rigorously at SAI Bengaluru for the Asian Champions Trophy. In previous matches, we faced challenges in the final third of the pitch, so we have focused significantly on improving in that area. We will take it match by match and aim to perform well in each one; every team poses a different challenge, and we won’t take any opponent lightly. This is the first time we’re playing international hockey in Bihar, and we hope to inspire all the girls in the region with our performances. We’ve prepared well, and we’re confident our hard work will show on the turf,” captain Salima Tete shared upon her arrival.
India must secure a top-four finish among the six teams to advance to the semi-finals on November 19. The winners will then progress to the final, scheduled for November 20. This tournament marks the Indian women’s team’s first Asian competition under chief coach Harendra Singh, who took charge earlier this year.
“For the first time, international matches will be held in Bihar at the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy. I would like to thank the Bihar government, Hockey India, and all hockey fans for helping bring international matches to the state. Each team will come with the goal of winning the trophy, and we have spent the last five months preparing with the Asian Champions Trophy in mind. We identified areas for improvement, such as combinations and decision-making in the shooting circle, and have worked on them. I am confident that hockey fans will witness a new side of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team this time, and they won’t be disappointed,” added Harendra Singh.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WILX) – No. 16 and fourth-seeded Michigan State women’s soccer fell to fifth-seeded Rutgers, 2-1, in overtime in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals Saturday afternoon in Saint Paul.
Rutgers moves to 11-3-4 overall with the win and advances to play the winner of No. 1 USC and No. 8 Ohio State in next week’s semifinals. Suffering just its second loss of the season, MSU falls to 12-2-5 in 2024.
MSU and Rutgers were even in shots, 17-17, while Rutgers held an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. The Spartans led the corner kick battle, 5-4. Graduate forward Mackenzie Anthony put up a team and game-high seven shots.
Just over 30 seconds into the game, sophomore defender Renee Watson sent in a cross that found a Rutgers defender, who slid the ball just over the goal line. After video review, a Scarlet Knights own goal was confirmed, giving MSU a 1-0 in the first minute.
Looking to add to their lead, the Spartans fired off a trio of shots in the fourth minute. The Scarlet Knights then took over offensively, sending in a flurry of shots over the next 25 minutes, but MSU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks and the Spartan defense held off each threat to maintain the 1-0 lead.
After a number of opportunities, Rutgers equalized in the 31st minute with a goal from Gia Girman. Parks came up with a pair of saves in the final 10 minutes to keep the game level before sophomore defender Ella Janz put up the MSU shot with under a minute to go, but could not convert, leaving the score tied at 1-1 as the teams headed to the break.
MSU came out of the gates in the second half strong and controlled possession and territory for the majority of the final 45 minutes. After being held to just five shots in the first half, the Spartans generated 11 shots in the second half while holding the Scarlet Knights to just a trio of shots. Anthony and graduate midfielder Gabby Mueller had a pair of shots blocked in the 53rd minute before Anthony and graduate forward Meg Hughes had two more shots blocked 10 minutes later.
Continuing to pour on the offense, MSU had its best chances at a go-ahead goal in the final 15 minutes. A header by Anthony off a free kick was sent into the gloves of Rutgers goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer in the 78th minute. Bodmer was forced to make another diving save 10 minutes later after sophomore midfielder Bella Najera sent a free kick from Watson through the Rutgers wall and to the top right of the net.
Neither team was able to generate any scoring chances in the final minutes, sending the game into sudden-death overtime.
Senior forward Jordyn Wickes forced another Bodmer save in the first shot by either team in the overtime period. A minute later, Rutgers’ Ashley Baran collected a ball from a charging Riley Tiernan and shot past Parks to end the game in a 2-1 Scarlet Knights victory.
The Spartans will await their NCAA Tournament seed, set to be announced during the NCAA selection show at 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11. The show will stream on the front page of NCAA.com.
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Sheryl Swoopes and long-time sports journalist Terrika Foster-Brasby have joined iHeartMedia’s … [+] Women’s Sports Audio Network as the co-headliners of the media platform’s newest women’s sports series called, “Levels To This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby.”
Levels To This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby
In 1997, Sheryl Swoopes became the first player to be signed to play in the WNBA, and in 2000, she won her fourth WNBA Championship with the Houston Comets. In 2011, Swoopes was recognized as one of the 15 greatest players in WNBA history, and in 2016, she was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Fast forward to 2024, and Swoopes continues to trail-blaze in women’s sports; this time in the podcasting space. Swoopes and long-time sports journalist Terrika Foster-Brasby have joined iHeartMedia’s Women’s Sports Audio Network as the co-headliners of the media platform’s newest women’s sports series called, Levels To This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby.
Levels To This aims to feature real conversations – primarily with women – about what it takes to excel at the highest level in their respective fields. Once a week, Swoopes and Foster-Brasby will discuss the hard work and obstacles that come along with being at the top of their game, and will dive into their personal highs and lows. The inaugural episode of the show centered on the topic of motherhood, discussing pregnancy, stepmotherhood, and Swoopes’ journey as a mother and a professional female athlete.
“For me, it’s important that people get to see a different side of me. I think a lot of times when people look at professional athletes or movie stars or celebrities, they don’t think we’re human,” said Swoopes. “My hope is that when people tune in and they listen, they can connect. They can connect with myself, they can connect with Terrika.”
IHeartMedia’s investment in women’s sports comes at a time when the popularity of women’s sports is at an all-time high. According to Deloitte, elite women’s sports are currently expected to become a $1 billion industry in 2024, representing a 300% increase in just three years.
“It’s wise to invest in women’s sports because it’s just quite naturally what any good business person would do,” said Foster-Brasby. “You want to appeal to what’s popular, but you also want to just invest in humans that are really doing amazing things? No one’s doing more amazing things right now than women athletes.”
So far, Capital One, e.l.f Cosmetics, and e.l.f SKIN have all been announced as financial sponsors of the Women’s Sports Audio Network.
Closing The Gender Gap In Sports Coverage
Terrika Foster-Brasby has been covering women’s sports for over a decade. Best known as the co-host and co-creator of ESPN’s WNBA show Around the Rim, Foster-Brasby has worked to provide coverage, especially of women’s basketball, even before mainstream media recognized leagues like the WNBA as newsworthy.
For decades, women’s sports have received just 4% of total sports media coverage. Last year, a new study conducted by The Collective at Wasserman revealed that the percentage of total women’s sports media coverage has grown to 15% – however, traditional and linear media still remains at just 5%.
“From a media perspective, the coverage is still unbalanced, the investment is still unequal,” said Foster-Brasby. “I think that with women’s sports, you have to be willing to take that chance and take that risk. Because as we’re seeing here most recently, that return on investment is absolutely happening.”
Foster-Brasby and Swoopes hope that Levels To This will help fill in some of the gender gaps that exist in sports media coverage.
“We laugh, we cry, we curse, we share tears, we joke. It’s a safe space, and a good space for anyone who’s looking for real conversations,” said Swoopes.
Fern Burrage-Male took over as manager of Cardiff City Ladies football team in October 2023. Since then the team has been rebranded as Gwalia United, and its co-owners Julian Jenkins and Damien Singh have outlined their ambition to take it to the top flight.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s FA Women’s Cup tie away to Swindon, in a Q&A with Nation.Cymru, Gwalia’s manager explains why she took the job, its biggest challenge and how she feels about the current state of women’s football in Wales.
Nation.Cymru: What inspired you to take on the role of manager at Cardiff City Ladies, now Gwalia United?
Burrage-Male: Honestly, I’ve always felt a deep connection with Cardiff City Ladies—this club has played a huge role in my life both as a player and now as a coach. The opportunity to take on the managerial role came quickly, and while it was unexpected, it felt right. I had spent years building teams and leading them at Pontypridd Town, and I knew I had something to offer.
“But more than that, it was the belief in the players here that pushed me to step up. They are a fantastic group of women who deserve to be competing at the highest level possible, and I know I can help them get there.
Ambition
I’ve always been driven by a desire to see women’s football in Wales grow, and this role is an extension of that ambition. Cardiff City Ladies, now transitioning to Gwalia United, has immense potential, and I wanted to be the one to help unlock it.
We were in a tough spot when I took over, and I saw the challenge as an opportunity to prove what we’re capable of. It’s not just about results for me, but about building something sustainable and empowering for the players. I want them to know that together, we can overcome any obstacle.
Gwalia United. Photo Monk’s Photography
Nation.Cymru: What has been your greatest challenge since taking over as manager?
Burrage-Male: The biggest challenge, without a doubt, has been taking over mid-season when morale was low and results weren’t going our way. When you step into a team that’s struggling, there’s always this pressure to turn things around immediately, and that pressure was certainly felt here. One of the first things I focused on was rebuilding that confidence, both individually and collectively.
Players like Chloe Lloyd and Ellie Sargent stepped up and became vital parts of our turnaround, but it wasn’t just about the big names. It was about making sure every player felt valued and understood their role.
Resilience
We had some tough games in February, but those wins didn’t just come from strategy—they came from heart, from a team that refused to give up. I’ve always believed that adversity breeds resilience, and this team showed that in abundance. It’s been a steep learning curve, but the progress we’ve made since I took over makes me incredibly proud, and I look forward into continuing this journey to success with Gwalia United.
Nation.Cymru: How do you describe your coaching style and philosophy?
Burrage-Male: My coaching style is rooted in positivity and empowerment. I believe in creating an environment where players feel valued, heard, and encouraged to express themselves both on and off the pitch. I prioritise open communication and trust; I want my players to know that I’m always here to support them. My philosophy is simple: I aim to develop not just skilled footballers, but well-rounded individuals who can thrive in a team setting.
The girls at Gwalia are more than aware that they are lucky to be at the club at a period where the winds of change might blow behind them over the coming years and I feel privileged to be in a position where I can play a part to leading to success, hopefully on and off the field.
My experience at Welsh Netball and Hockey Wales have provided me with unique insights that I can apply to my football coaching. Both sports require similar foundational principles, such as teamwork, discipline, and strategic thinking. This crossover allows me to bring diverse perspectives to the table, enhancing my approach to coaching in both arenas.
Nation.Cymru: What are your long-term goals for Gwalia United?
Burrage-Male: My long-term goals for Gwalia United are ambitious but grounded in the reality of our potential. I want to establish the club as a formidable force in women’s football in Wales and beyond. We have a rich history and a dedicated fan base, and it’s crucial to build on that foundation. One of my primary objectives is to cultivate a winning culture where success is defined not just by trophies, but by the development of our players and the community we create.
Fern Burrage-Male. Photo Monk’s Photography
I envision Gwalia United competing consistently at the top of the FA Women’s National League over the coming season and then, hopefully, taking that difficult hop to higher leagues afterwards. To achieve this, we need to invest in our youth development, ensuring that we’re not just looking for immediate results but also nurturing the next generation of talent.
I want our academy to be a pipeline for future stars of women’s football. The FAW have been exceptionally supportive of our ambitions and we are looking to develop ourselves as a strong Welsh beacon of elite performance in the English FA system that serves as a credible platform for Welsh women to aim for.
Additionally, I’m committed to elevating the profile of women’s football in Wales. I believe that by consistently performing at a high level and engaging with our community, we can attract more supporters and sponsors, which is vital for our growth. The goal is to create an environment where every player feels they can achieve their dreams, and where our success inspires the next wave of female athletes.
Nation.Cymru:How do you feel about the current state of women’s football in Wales?
Burrage-Male: I feel incredibly optimistic about the current state of women’s football in Wales. There’s been a noticeable shift in recent years, with increased visibility and support for women’s sports. More fans are engaging with women’s football, and we’re seeing greater investment from both clubs and governing bodies. This momentum is exciting and is crucial for the long-term development of the game.
Facilities
However, while the progress is commendable, there’s still much work to be done. We need to continue pushing for better facilities, resources, and opportunities for women at all levels of the sport. Increasing participation in grassroots football is essential to ensure a strong pipeline of talent. Initiatives that promote young girls getting involved in football can have a significant impact on the future of our game.
Moreover, I believe we must work collectively to challenge outdated perceptions about women’s football. It’s a fantastic sport filled with skilled athletes who deserve recognition and support.
By sharing our success stories and showcasing the talent within our teams, we can continue to elevate the profile of women’s football in Wales. I’m proud to be part of this journey and excited for what the future holds for Gwalia United and women’s football as a whole.
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