After being appointed Assistant Coach of the Wellington Phoenix Women for the 2024–2025 Ninja A-League season, Amy Shepherd has taken another meaningful step in supporting the growth of women in football. Most recently, she facilitated the OFC/NZF Female-Only C Licence course in Capital.

The C Licence equips coaches with essential frameworks and methodologies to develop into confident, professional leaders of the game. But what sets this course apart is its female-only format—something Shepherd believes is vital.

“It creates a sense of belonging,” she explains. “It’s a safe space where women can truly grow and learn as coaches. Creating that environment and creating that space for people to feel that they can not only give feedback but also take it has been really important”.

This sentiment is echoed by course candidates who have felt the power of this space firsthand.

“I think it's really important to have a safe space for wāhine to feel included in a heavily male-dominated industry,” says candidate Renae Hemopo.

“To have a space where they can feel vulnerable and really open their minds to learning, with the support of other wāhine around them who understand what it's like to work in a male-dominated space.”

Candidate Sheree Smith adds, “We often, as females, feel less empowered when we're in the football scene. Coming on the C Licence, I was able to connect and chat through what I thought were disadvantages—and it totally empowered me to go out there and prove myself. I’m lucky now to have a supportive group of ladies.”

As a coach educator, Shepherd hopes this group of wāhine not only develops their technical skills, but also gains a deeper understanding of the purpose behind their coaching.

“It’s the beautiful game for a reason,” she says. “Stay in it, enjoy every second, and see where it can take you. It’s taken me on an incredible journey, and hopefully it’ll take them on one too.”

Article added: Tuesday 08 April 2025