Freehold, N.J. ― New Jersey Youth Soccer is teaming up with Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS) once again to host an All-Female Course for the U.S. Soccer National C License, with the starting date for the course being in March 2024. Registration for this All-Female National C License Course will open soon, and a formal announcement with dates and location information will be made in the coming weeks.
This all-female offering continues a strong initiative by NJ Youth Soccer and WAGS to increase female participation in the sport. The course is fully sponsored by WAGS and provides candidates, upon successful completion of the course, full reimbursement of their entire course cost and travel expenses (up to a pre-established maximum).
“As a trailblazing leader in empowering and supporting the educational journey of female coaches, WAGS is very proud to, once again, sponsor this All-Female National C Course,” said Kerry Diederich, WAGS Executive Director. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with NJYS to provide this pathway to a higher license for female coaches, ensuring their personal goals in soccer can be realized.”
The National C License is a 20-week course comprised of virtual classroom meetings, online learning experiences and in-person field sessions. The online portion requires an average commitment of three hours per week, consisting of candidate engagement in large group, small groups, instructor groups and individual meetings with an assigned instructor. The in-person session takes place over the course of one four-day week that includes two full days and two half-days of small group activities and individual field work.
“As we continually work to enable coaches to acquire and further develop knowledge, and skills, we recognized the importance of empowering more female coaches to gain further coaching qualifications,” said Rick Meana, NJYS Director of Coaching. “Through this collaboration with Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS), our goal is to expand upon that ambition to create more opportunities for women in the sport.”
This National C License Course continues a strong collaboration between NJ Youth Soccer and WAGS in their goal to increase the number of females participating in soccer throughout the State of New Jersey and beyond. Last year, the two groups hosted their first All-Female National C License Course, which was most recently followed up this summer with All-Female 11v11 and 9v9 U.S. Soccer Grassroots Coaching License Courses, an All-Female U.S. Soccer Grassroots Referee Course and an All-Female NJYS State Certificate Coaching Course.
The partnership between NJ Youth Soccer and WAGS also continues to strengthen the impact of the NJYS Growing the Girls Game (G3) Initiative. Originally launched in 2021, the G3 Initiative focuses on empowering females both on and off the field, and at all ages and stages of the soccer experience.
Formerly a regional soccer league for girls in the Metro DC area, Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS) has since restructured as a charitable organization that focuses on the empowerment of girls and women through soccer. The mission of WAGS is to sponsor, develop or provide educational and character-building programs for the benefit of girls and women through teaching and promoting an interest in the game of soccer.
