"I'll always be the first woman in Germany coaching a professional men's team, Wittmann says, but I want to be seen as a coach. It's OK to be the first woman, I'm really proud of it, but in the end I want to be a good coach, I want to be a good manager, I want to be a good human being towards my players."
"It's about how you want to be seen, not just about being the first. Wittmann is not unhappy to be a pioneer and recognises the power of her presence in the game but is convinced that the real power is to be perceived on equal terms to her male counterparts."
"Continuing to work with Wittmann is an endorsement of her qualities rather than a matter of principle. The club are well aware of the importance of Wittmann's trailblazing but to them she is just Sabrina, with her many years of experience at FC Ingolstadt 04 having instilled in her an exceptional sense of identification with and responsibility for our club."
Sabrina Wittmann, 34, extended her contract with FC Ingolstadt after becoming the first female coach of a German professional men's football team in summer 2024. Recently completing her coaching pro licence, Wittmann emphasizes wanting recognition as a capable coach rather than solely as a pioneering woman. While proud of her historic role, she prioritizes being perceived as equal to male counterparts. Her long-standing connection to Ingolstadt, where she was born and developed her football career, makes the club extension logical. Club management views the contract renewal as validation of her extensive experience and dedication to the organization, not as a symbolic gesture.
#women-in-football #coaching-achievement #gender-equality-in-sports #fc-ingolstadt #professional-football
Read at www.theguardian.com
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