The Irish FA’s coaching courses are continuing to attract interest globally with an increase in the number of female candidates being recorded this year.
The recent set of courses, which took place in Belfast last month, welcomed two such coaches, Andrea Nava Garduño from Mexico and Lekeisha Gumbs, originally from Leicester but now working in the US, both of whom spoke of how the Irish FA is helping them on their managerial journeys.
Garduño, 22 years old, was sponsored by her club and the parents of the children she coaches in her hometown, to fund the course.
“It is an amazing story. The support from my people is unbelievable.
“I want to be an inspiration for others. Football is my passion, and I have been playing since I was 13. I have learned so much during my short time in Northern Ireland and love how the course simplifies coaching and asks us to bring things right back to basics.
“Of course, I was nervous to begin with at first with the new surroundings and new people. But I have always coached in a largely male dominated environment, so those feelings decreased as time went on.
“This qualification is prestigious, will allow me the opportunity to further my career in the game and I want to thank everyone who has made it possible.”
Gumbs, currently coaching in Chicago, Illinois, spent 18 years at Leicester City, was also supportive of the coaching environment in Belfast:
“It's been good. The cohort are great, supportive and everyone's willing to share their journeys and their coaching philosophies. It's been great listening to some of the some of the presenters. Even the weather has been kind!”
Gumbs benefited from a spell on the English FA’s Mentee Development Programme, part of England Football Learning’s wider coach inclusion and diversity plan, which ultimately led to her place in the States where she is the head coach of the USL W League’s Chicago City SC, guiding the team to the 2023 USL W League Playoffs in her first season as head coach.
“It is really important for more people from BAME backgrounds to be involved in our game. It is great to have the representation, great to have the visibility as well. It's huge. It’s about being out here and showing that everybody can coach at whatever level they want to go to.”
