Sam Hadley: Inspiring The Next Generation

As part of our International Women’s Day coverage this week, we caught up with Sam Hadley, Fulham FC Foundation Female Football Development Officer, to discuss her coaching career to date.

How did you start out in coaching?

One of my neighbours was a coach and he was volunteering at a youth inclusion project on the estate where we lived. He knew I was interested in coaching and that I wanted to get involved, he said to come down to the session and see what it’s all about, so that’s where it all started. From there I volunteered each week running one of the sessions and watching their matches on Sundays. Each week when I went back, I became more confident and got to know the players a bit better. Because I lived on the same estate as where the kids came from I felt I had that little bit more of an understanding of the needs of the young people as well. It was a really good starting point for me.

The next step in my coaching journey was my FA Football Level 1 Coaching Course. It was a female only FA Level 1, and from memory there was only five of us on that course so I don’t really know how it even went ahead. The coaching course then was very different to the courses they offer now, you were told what session to put on, how to run the session and then it was about trying to find a club from there.

You’ve been the Female Football Development Officer at Fulham FC Foundation for nearly 18 months. How did you first hear about the role?

I was just scrolling online for new jobs and I stumbled across the advert on the Foundation website. I spoke to someone I knew at the Foundation that I met through coaching and it all went from there. For my interview, I had to come in and present on what I would look to do with the programme, which was nice because you can see yourself more in the role if you’ve thought that all out beforehand. I had been coaching at my grassroots club for 13 years so this was like my ‘super-move’, I was really nervous but it all went well and thankfully, I was offered the role.

What was it like starting in the job?

I made it a priority to make sure I went out and watched all of the sessions we had. It was such a positive atmosphere, the coaches were so nice and it was just a really welcoming environment where you can make a difference. It was different (to my first coaching role) in so many ways but again brought back home one of the reasons why I did apply.

I could see myself in some of the girls and I still see that now which is why I am so keen to help them on the next step of their journey, if they want to take on coaching roles or qualifications. When I think back to where I was at 16 or 17 there wasn’t that much information out there. I passed my FA Level 1 and that was it, there was no information given to me at all, it was ‘here’s your certificate and off you go’.

That’s why now I’m really passionate about helping the girls that I work with. I want to help them get into teams if that’s what they want to do, because I didn’t have that, there wasn’t that opportunity for me and any way that I can help them I’m more than happy to do that.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome in your coaching career?

I guess being seen as a coach, not being seen as a female coach. In the past I’ve turned up with one of the boys teams I worked with, introduced myself to the opposition manager and have him assume I was either a parent or the person who carried the oranges. I don’t see myself as a female coach, I see myself as a coach. I am just trying to be who I set out to be, just trying to be the best person and best coach I can be in a very male-orientated sport. Those barriers are slowly being broken down and I’m passionate about seeing more coaches break in to this very male-orientated sport.

What is it like to work at Fulham FC Foundation?

It’s great. For me it was such a huge change to what I was used to, I don’t think I appreciated just how big this role was when I started. It’s opened my eyes to a lot of new experiences, new challenges. Coming out of my comfort zone and doing presentations, I’ve never had to do that before. Learning about marketing, learning about branding, it’s all work that will really help grow our programme.

At the start, if you had said to me the job would involve this, this and this, I would have said I don’t think I can do half of that. Actually as time as gone on, and being supported by colleagues, you just have to push through those barriers and ultimately you have to learn these things and add them to your game.

If you had asked me three or four seasons ago I never would have said I wouldn’t be coaching as much, because that’s all I had done before. I never really saw my pathway taking on more of a development side, but the more I worked at my grassroots club, getting to where we wanted to be in terms of female participation, the more I thought ‘I quite enjoy this’.

I do see my pathway taking me more towards developing and inspiring the next generation of girls coming into football. I can gradually see myself doing less coaching and more development work, which I guess is a natural progression. I still love coaching but I find what I do now really rewarding and it motivates me to know that the demand is out there for more female activity. That’s what really drives me forward.