The Evolution of Women’s Football: Insights from Deborah Dilworth at the FSA

In this episode of the Business Football Podcast, David sits down with Deborah Dilworth, the head of women's football at the Football Supporters Association. With a wealth of experience as a coach and mentor, Deborah shares her football journey, highlighting the influence of her family and friends in her early years. Deborah discusses her coaching experiences in the United States and Australia, emphasizing the importance of empathy and adaptability in coaching different age groups and genders. Deborah also reflects on the impact of the Lionesses' success in 2022, the ongoing challenges in women's football, and the need for greater diversity in leadership roles within the sport.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Personal Journey in Football: Debra Dilworth's passion for football was ignited by her family, particularly her father and brother. Her journey began with playing informally and evolved into coaching. Coaching Philosophy: Debra emphasizes the significance of empathy in coaching, advocating for understanding players' individual needs and backgrounds. Diversity and Inclusion: Debra stresses the need for greater diversity in decision-making roles within football organizations. She highlights the importance of representation, particularly for women and individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Resilience and Kindness: Throughout her career, Debra has learned the value of resilience and kindness. She encourages others to maintain their core values and boundaries while being open to learning from experiences. Continuous Learning: Debra identifies as a lifelong learner, valuing the opportunity to gain insights from various experiences and interactions within the football community.    BEST MOMENTS "I feel like that did shape my coaching... I think that was because I was so new to the game." "I think it's important for women to coach both men and women and boys and girls." "I think sometimes football can definitely look outside of itself... to better the fandom in women's sports generally." "It's okay not to know things... my job as a mentor wasn't necessarily to know everything." "Resilience is key... sometimes the most rubbish times end up being a really good turning corner for you."   GUEST BACKGROUND & LINK Deborah Dilworth is the current Head of Women's Football at the Football Supporters Association, supporting & helping and developing initiatives & funds from scratch to drastically change the landscape of football for girls, creating resources for young people as well as speaking Nationally at Football Conferences and panels, Here is her LinkedIn if you think there is anything that should be included in the show notes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-d-39241028/   OUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebusinessoffootballpodcast/ Tik Tok : https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoffootball   HOST BIO Right out of the block, David Chimbaza took his International Football Business degree to do exactly what it says on the tin: Launch his own International Football Business, DTCMEDIAUK. His company works with professional leaders & business owners in the football industry to create, monetize & scale their brands for their business & professional gains. Having created and managed multiple of his own sports social media accounts from the age of 15, many of which have scaled thousands of pounds & millions of views across 3 different platforms, David has constantly found ways to bring new and engaging entertainment to his audience.