Coaching Girls Football | CHG Coaches Corner
Coaching a girls' team is so much more than drills. It's a whole different ball game.
Without you, there is no grassroots.
Champion Her Game is as passionate about keeping good coaches in the game as we are about keeping girls in it. Here's free, practical support for the questions you're asking every week.
of girls drop out by age 14
cite confidence as a reason
are part of changing that
Support for grassroots coaches of girls' teams
Jump straight to what you need. Every topic has its own page, built for coaches who are short on time.
New to coaching a girls' team? You know football. This is the bit nobody told you. Practical, honest and everything you need before your next session. Start here →- 01Stopping dropoutWhy girls leave, what drives it and what you can do about it.Read more →
- 02Coaching girls differentlyWhat girls told us, and what it means for how you coach.Read more →
- 03Building team cultureBelonging, identity and every girl in the squad, not just the starting eleven.Read more →
- 04The five things that keep girls playingEnjoyment, belonging, development, voice and confidence.Read more →
- 05Talking to parentsPlaying time, sideline coaching and a free start-of-season letter.Read more →
- 06Puberty and girls in sportHow changing bodies affect girls in sport, and how to help.Read more →
#NeverLastPick
There are 12 girls in your squad. The moment the sixth is picked, every remaining girl knows.
- Please don't let me be last.
- Why don't they want me?
- It's because I'm not good enough.
- I don't want to be here.
How do you coach a girl who has those thoughts in her mind? You don't. You prevent it.
Never let players pick teams one by one.
- You pick the teams
- You balance them
- You remove that moment entirely
It takes seconds, and it protects confidence for years.
Know how every girl really feels
Most coaches spend years guessing what their players need. Most girls spend years wishing someone would just ask. CHGConnect helps you get to know every girl, recognise what she brings, and hear how your squad really feels.
- 1Start with a Team PulseFive quick, anonymous questions. See how the whole team is really doing.
- 2Get to know every girlShe tells you what she loves about playing and how she likes to learn.
- 3Recognise her, then hear herRecognise every player after a session, then hear from them anonymously.
- 4See what's changingTeam Insights over time, with a practical idea to try.
Use it:
- After training: did it land?
- Before a game: are they ready?
- Every few weeks: is confidence, belonging or enjoyment changing?
Your first 7 days are free, with no card needed.
Free tools for coaches of girls' teams
- Act on itCoaches Kit BagFive card sets that tell you what a signal in your squad means, and what to do about it before Sunday. No reading required.Open the Kit Bag →
- Free PDFCoach Her Game Guide11 real questions, answered honestly. Private, practical and free.Download →
Kitting out your squad? See our team bibs and kit bags, with every slogan chosen to set the tone before training starts.
Questions coaches actually ask
Why are girls dropping out of grassroots football?
Research suggests around 40% of girls drop out by age 14. Common causes include confidence and body image, period anxiety, not feeling they belong, and fear of being judged. Some are outside a coach's control, but many are shaped by the environment a coach creates. See the full dropout guide →
How is coaching girls football different to coaching boys?
Good coaching is good coaching. But many girls are especially motivated by belonging rather than competition, and a girl who doesn't feel she belongs will find a reason not to come back. The environment you create matters as much as the football you coach. Read the full guide →
How do I keep girls in football during puberty?
Normalise kit adaptations, give feedback privately, and make training the safest place she knows. Body image and period anxiety often peak during puberty, and both are easier to manage when a coach is aware of them. Read about puberty and girls in sport →
How do I build confidence in girls football players?
Speak to every girl every session, praise effort as well as outcomes, avoid singling girls out in front of the group, and notice the quiet girl early. A public correction can stay with a girl for weeks, so small changes in how you give feedback make a big difference.
Why do some girls lose confidence during training?
Often it starts with a moment the coach didn't realise mattered: how teams are picked, who goes first in a drill, who gets singled out. These small moments shape how safe a girl feels. A girl who has been picked last carries that into every session that follows.
How do I make football more fun for girls?
Girls often rate enjoyment, belonging and friendships above competition. Build team rituals, celebrate effort, and make every girl feel valued. When she enjoys training, she tells her friends, and your team grows.
What do girls need from coaches most?
To feel safe (mistakes won't be humiliating), connected (her coach knows her as a person) and valued (her contribution matters, whatever her ability). These three things keep more girls playing than any tactical coaching.
How can coaches help girls feel they belong?
Greet every girl by name, never let players pick teams, create a squad identity, and give every girl a private way to be understood. A girl who feels she belongs will fight to stay. Read about building team culture →
How do I find out what each girl in my squad needs?
CHGConnect gives every girl a private way to tell you what she enjoys, how she likes to learn and how she's feeling, while you see the team picture. Share a link, and she answers a few quick questions on her phone. Try the Team Pulse free →
How do I get my club to fund girls football kit?
We've built a free, ready-made funding pitch you can take to your club. It sets out why girls' kit matters, backs it with research, and finishes with a clear ask for training bibs, kit bags and tops, all priced for grassroots clubs. Download Take It To The Club →
How do I get more girls to join my grassroots team?
Start local. Ask nearby schools to mention your team in their newsletter, and use social media to show what your team looks and feels like. A team that invests in its girls from the start builds a reputation that recruits for itself.
Being a grassroots coach can feel isolating. The support isn't always there, and the resources aren't always built for you. And yet you show up, every week, for girls who need you more than you know.
Without you, there is no grassroots.
We've built these tools to give you the support you need and deserve. Welcome to the CHG Squad.