Club news
Written by: Joe
- Casagrande Coaching Academy is launching a first-of-its-kind pilot programme to train high-performance coaches in women’s football – and Lewes FC are part of it!
- Ivi Casagrande – our sports science lead at Lewes FC Women since 2022 – has designed a course for early-career and seasoned coaches. The pilot will embed a female-centric, whole-systems approach that’s currently missing from traditional coach education.
- It is being delivered in partnership with UK regional teams from Lewes FC, Montpelier Villa FC, Brighton Galaxy, Saltdean FC and BHASVIC.
- Supporting the programme is Kelly Lindsey, COO at Lewes FC, who serves as strategic advisor to the academy. Her global experience in developing national teams and high-performance environments adds crucial depth to the programme’s leadership.
- “Lewes FC are proud to support the Academy as a pilot hub for this groundbreaking initiative,” says Kelly.
- “Women’s football is developing at a rapid pace and we need wider coaching expertise to support the game’s growth. Ivi has created a model that supports coaches in the football pyramid from the ground up, and which will fuel coaching excellence across the game.
- “Lewes is a champion for equality and equal treatment, and we believe women’s football deserves this specialised expertise. We can’t wait to get started!”
Casagrande Coaching Academy
- Casagrande Coaching Academy is a groundbreaking non-for-profit coaching initiative designed to elevate support for women’s football is launching today, with its pilot programme targeting grassroots and lower-tier clubs in East Sussex.
- ‘The Academy’, founded by former professional player and now renowned high-performance coach Ivi Casagrande, will address a critical gap in the women’s game: a lack of clear, supported career pathways for new coaches.
- The Academy is pioneering a female-centric coaching practice, designed for performance coaches early in their career and those transitioning from the men’s game into women’s football. It recognises that effective coaching in the women’s game requires more than technical knowledge; it demands a shift in mindset, methods and support structures.
- Addressing gaps in the women’s game
- As the women’s game grows in popularity, opportunities for coaches haven’t kept pace. Instead, many are pushed toward roles in boys’ academies due to limited access or funding for female football teams. As a result, many promising coaches leave football altogether or move up through systems that don’t fully prepare them to support female players.
- The Academy aims to change that by building a bridge between education and employment, equipping new coaches with real-world experiences, professional mentorship and leadership skills tailored to the unique demands of the women’s game.
- A hands-on programme
- Launching in September 2025, the Academy marks the next step in Casagrande’s mission to build sustainable coaching models and strengthen the foundations of the women’s game.
- Over 10 months, a non-for-profit pilot programme will support eight students as they train to become the next generation of coaches for the women’s game.
- It will be delivered in partnership with regional clubs and institutions, including Lewes FC, Montpelier Villa FC, Brighton Galaxy, Saltdean FC and BHASVIC.
- These partners will gain meaningful coaching support for their girls’ and women’s teams, from Under-11s to senior squads. Academy students will contribute on the ground while engaging with learning modules in the classroom, on the pitch, online, and out in nature.
- As part of the programme, students will also develop personal portfolios that capture their growth and expertise, designed both as a tool for reflection and as practical collateral for future job applications. Looking ahead, the Academy is working with both clubs and external funders to establish paid, entry-level coaching roles for its graduates.
- Building technical and cultural change
- By addressing structural gaps and investing in long-term change, the Academy is working to create a culture shift in women’s football.
- It aims to make coaching a viable and rewarding career for early-career and seasoned coaches of all genders, where players are supported as whole people rather than just athletes, and where the women’s game can thrive on its own terms.
- With England bidding to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the need to strengthen development pathways and reimagine what’s possible across the entire football pyramid – from grassroots to senior teams – has never been more urgent. The Academy is laying the foundations for this now.
- “The women’s game is building fast but it’s not building deep. We’re investing in the surface of the game – elite performance, branding, data systems – without strengthening the roots. The people on the ground are overwhelmed,” says Ivi Casagrande, high performance coach and founder of Casagrande Coaching Academy
- “Young players are under-supported. Coaches don’t have time or tools to properly develop athletes long-term, and we’re copying systems from the men’s game without asking: does this actually fit our environment?
- Prospective Academy student coaches based in East Sussex are invited to apply for the pilot programme at casagrandecoaching.org/academy.
- About the Casagrande Coaching Academy
- Casagrande Coaching Academy is part of Casagrande Coaching, a consultancy practice and learning centre to transform football’s coaching culture.
- It was developed by Ivi Casagrande, an experienced high-performance coach who has worked internationally across elite women’s football national teams (Brazil, US Youth and Ireland), and with governing bodies FIFA and UEFA. She is the sport scientist lead at Lewes FC Women since 2022 and has made Hove her home.