Nearly a year after winning gold at the Olympics last August, head coach of the US Women’s National Soccer Team Emma Hayes has had no shortage of success when it comes to raising the bar for the program and defining what it means to be a female coach in pro sports.
After nearly 12 years with Chelsea FC, one of the most successful women’s soccer programs in the world, Hayes left following the 2023-2024 season to accept a position as the 10th full time head coach of the USWNT. Only a few months later, Hayes led the team to the Olympics with a 6 game victory streak, joining Anson Dorrance as the only head coach to do so in any major tournament.
Breaking records is nothing new to Hayes- during her time at Chelsea, she secured seven Women’s Super League titles and five of them consecutively, the highest streak in the program’s history, with no other team ever having won more than four in total.
Despite her dominance, the all star coach brings a refreshing attitude to her success. Hayes explains that to her, it’s not just about winning.
“I enjoy winning, but it’s not my motivator.” Hayes explained in an interview with CNN last year. “I think creating inspiring environments for people to thrive in and creating a landscape where women in particular can thrive and develop, grow, be given opportunity — that’s what I get out of bed for every day.”
But while her path has been filled with victories, Hayes also knows the value of prioritizing long term growth over short term victories.
Coming off a 2-1 loss to Brazil last Tuesday, Hayes admits that while she’s disappointed, she knows success isn’t always defined by immediate outcomes. “If I only prioritized short-term success, of course I wouldn’t make that many changes,” Hayes explains. “But I’m not making decisions for the short-term; I’m prioritizing the progress from expanding the playing pool to getting to see what these players look like in a really difficult match.”
While there’s been progress in increasing the number of women in professional sports, we still have a long way to go.
A significant gap still remains in the number of women in leadership positions, but figures like Emma Hayes continue to move the needle closer in professional sports with her undeniable record.