Fran Kirby, Pernille Harder, Beth England, Magda Eriksson, Millie Bright, Maren Mjelde - do you want me to keep going? These are world class players. Women's football is not a step down from anything.
Emma HayesRead
I hope and expect there are female coaches out there who are saying they want to do what I do, and if I can play a part in that and when I step away from the game can say 'I was the first,' then I'm proud of that too.
Interpretation
Emma Hayes expresses her hope of inspiring female coaches to follow in her footsteps.
In this quote, Emma Hayes articulates her desire to empower future female coaches by sharing her journey and achievements. She emphasizes the importance of representation and hopes that her success will motivate others to pursue similar paths in coaching. The pride she feels in potentially paving the way for others highlights the significance of mentorship and the impact of role models in sports.
In practice
During a women's sports conference, I shared this quote to inspire young female coaches.
Fran Kirby, Pernille Harder, Beth England, Magda Eriksson, Millie Bright, Maren Mjelde - do you want me to keep going? These are world class players. Women's football is not a step down from anything.
We talk about women in football like we are not entitled to the same opportunity and the same access.
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.
Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.
I intend to inspire people with my story: motivate young people that grew up like myself, or even not like myself. Just, you know, go through the human experience.
It's like all my life I've been this tower standing at the edge of the ocean for some obscure purpose, and only now, almost eighteen years in, has someone thought to flip the switch that reveals that I'm not a tower at all. I'm a lighthouse. It's like waking up. I am incandescent.
It's great to know that young black girls are seeing themselves on TV as leading ladies, and I'm part of that. It's just such an honor.
At that time, we were in charge. We didn't ask. We just did. We just did what was in our heart.
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