Coach Like a Woman – Equality in Sport Club Activities process started

Background

The Finnish Coaches Association launched the Gender Equality Toolkit (GET) in 2023. It was created based on the systematic development projects carried out in the Coach Like a Woman initiatives during 2013–2023. The open-access online tool comprises four phases that guide sport organisations in improving gender equality in coaching. It paves the way for best practices, supporting mechanisms, and positive models that can be implemented across various organisations. These are drawn from measures conducted with 26 national sport associations. Additionally, the four phases are scaffolded with research-based knowledge of the supports and barriers women face in coaching.

However, after launching the legacy of successful work conducted in previous initiatives, the practical implications of the GET have gone unnoticed. To fill the gap, a new Coach Like a Woman initiative began at the end of 2025. In line with previous Coach Like a Woman projects, the main purpose of the newest initiative is to increase the number of women coaches, support women in coaching, and promote an equal and diverse coaching culture in sports clubs. Moreover, the aim is to gain knowledge on how GET can be used in sports clubs’ development projects.

Selected sport clubs and process leaders

A total of 13 sports clubs applied to participate in the initiative. After reviewing the applications, 9 sports clubs were included. The project will follow all four phases of GET. During the process, club members participate in workshops and work toward concrete objectives to foster an equal coaching culture in the sports club's daily operations.

Each club has its own process leader, whose task is to support and guide the club and ensure that the measures agreed in the project progress from planning to practice. The clubs and the process leaders are:

Kouvot ry, Sari Tuunainen
Puijo Wolley Juniors, Eero Simojoki
Säkylän Urheilijat / Lännen kiekko, Seija-Maria Lehtonen
Helsinki Ringette, Martina Roos-Salmi
Tampere Ju-Jitsu School, Maikku Miettinen
ToPo Juniors, Sanja Hovilainen
Seinäjoki Peliveljet, Pekka Rindell
Helsingin Miekkailijat and Hyvinkään Miekkailijat, Sanna Erdoğan

An enthusiastic start for the new Coach Like a Woman initiative

The first meeting with the sport clubs shed light on the current state of gender equality in coaching. Using gender-based data, clubs examined their present situation. They explored the current coaching workforce, various coaching positions, and the club's structures. The discussion focused on recognising structural barriers that may hinder women from taking responsibility in coaching. Based on the evaluation of the present situation, clubs defined goals for this ongoing project.

Instead of overly general plans, clubs were assigned to detail measures during this development project. These include social club evenings, mentor education, mentoring groups and supporting women participating in coach education. The club and the process leaders are also supported by the staff of the Finnish Coaches' Association.

The clubs will meet regularly with their project leaders. Each meeting advances the equality plan and moves toward the objectives required to achieve the goals. The clubs' development processes culminate in a joint event in December, where the improvements are shared, and impacts are discussed together.

A kick-off in the Gender Equality Seminar

The development process began in February 2026 at a seminar in Helsinki. The seminar was organised in cooperation with the Towards Equal Sports – Joint Journey 2025-2026 project and was open to all. The theme of the seminar was Equality in sports clubs: the roles of officials and coaches.

Sari Tuunainen, Executive Director of the Finnish Coaches Association, opened the seminar by presenting the principles, activities and goals of the Joint Journey 2025-2026 project. It is an equality development project, shaped by the means of the 2026 International Working Group on Women & Sport (IWG) conference. The joint process is being driven in collaboration by the Finnish Olympic Committee, the Finnish Paralympic Committee, Finland's Svenska Idrott, the Finnish Coaches Association, the Finnish Workers' Sports Association and the Faculty of Sport Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. The project aims to clarify the current state of gender equality in Finnish sport, identify developmental needs, use the Brighton + Helsinki Declaration roadmap to engage organisations to monitor procedures, and prepare people for participation in the IWG international conference. The collaboration is open to anyone interested in gender equality work in sport.

After setting the scene, Samuli Oja, a researcher at JAMK University of Applied Sciences, shed light on the latest report in Equality in Physical Activity and Sports in Finland 2025. Oja highlighted the current state of gender equality in sports clubs and coaching. Emma Winiecki, Head of Communications and Advocacy at UN Women Finland, discussed safe sports and an equal culture as fundamental elements of sports clubs. Sanna Erdoğan summarised previous Coach Like a Woman projects and outlined the current initiative.

Further, expectations for the ongoing Coach Like a Woman project were elaborated in a panel discussion. The views were shared by representatives of the clubs selected for the project: Oona Panula (Kouvot), Miika Peräkylä (Seinäjoen Peliveljet), and Olena Myroniuk (Helsingin Miekkailijat). The panellists highlighted that attitudes, awareness, and communication should be enforced to improve equality. The speakers emphasise the importance of equality and non-discrimination in everyday life, in sports club activities and in coaching. All of them are looking forward to starting the project with the Finnish Coaches Association:

- I believe that through this project, we will be able to follow the concrete measures and objectives that promote equality, comments Oona Panula.

- We are looking forward to concrete methods and procedures, so that we can have results instead of just having good plans, Miika Peräkylä continued.

- Discussing various experiences is valuable. Initiatives like this are important for coaches, Olena Myroniuk added.

Coach Like a Woman” Gender Equality Tool: www.valmentaakuinnainen.fi