International Women’s Day – Chelsea Pope

From Cornwall to Wembley: the story behind my journey into coaching and my mission to inspire others

My name is Chelsea Pope and my journey started at the age of 6, in my hometown in Cornwall. There weren’t any girls teams in Cornwall when I first started playing football, so I had to play with all the boys. I was faced with many challenges; being told I couldn’t play football because I was a girl, being judged and losing all my confidence. My biggest role model in life is my Mum, she decided to gain her coaching qualification and help setup a girls football league in Cornwall, so that my sister and I could play with other girls and enjoy our football again. At one point, she was superhuman and managing four different girls teams at our local club, alongside her fulltime job. This is where my coaching journey began. I was inspired by my mum and wanted to help her, so I started as her assistant at age 13, before I was old enough to gain my qualifications and become a head coach. I’ve known from a very young age that I love helping people- I saw the positive impact my mum had on girls in Cornwall and wanted to do the same. That little girl from Cornwall had a dream to be a professional football coach and in 2022, she decided to chase those dreams and make the big move to London. The rest is history!

Moving to London to study Football Coaching and Management at UCFB Wembley has been the best decision I have ever made. I started university as an ambitious individual with a dream but was shy and lacking confidence. The lecturers, my friends and everyone at UCFB, gave me a voice and from there, the growth has been incredible. I have built so much confidence that has enabled me to achieve things little Chelsea would not believe! During my time at UCFB, I have coached football for Bloomsbury, Chelsea FC Foundation and even gained my first experience of coaching in a professional environment, at Tottenham Hotspur Women’s Academy. I achieved all this before the age of 20 and that, I struggle to believe. The last 3 years have been a whirlwind, but the best years of my life. I am now 20, currently in my final year at UCFB and have just started my UEFA B. I have achieved more than I could have ever dreamt of and I’m still young and growing! This is proof that if you have a dream and you work hard, anything is possible. 

This brings me onto my ‘why’ and one of my additional roles. Being a female coach has never been easy. In Cornwall, I was one of very few and I often wondered if my dream was silly. I didn’t know how I was ever going to have a career as a football coach, because I couldn’t see many females in those roles. This is where my ‘why’ comes in. I’ve always wanted to be a role model, to inspire others and have a positive impact on people. This year, I am the president of the Female Coaches Society and am on a mission to empower women and show them that football is a place for them. I want to change the narrative; you can be a female and have a successful career in football. Despite coaching being my biggest passion, I have never coached for me. I coach for the little girls that are told they can’t play football because of their gender, I coach for all the females that have a dream of one day being the next Emma Hayes, I coach to change the future of football and the future of people’s lives. Throughout the last few years, I have worked so hard to try and change the narrative. I’ve delivered inspirational talks, organised and hosted events, delivered keynote speeches, and worked many hours behind the scenes, to try and be that role model that when growing up, other than my mum, I didn’t have. 

I have achieved so many incredible things and sometimes I don’t slow down to recognise just how far I’ve come. Now, I can say that the very shy and quiet 10-year-old Chelsea with her big dream, would be so very proud of the person that I am now, all I have achieved, the person I am yet to become, and the future ahead of me. My journey is only just beginning and so can yours! The biggest thing I have learnt is to take every opportunity that comes your way and never be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. You never know what doors could open! I have had so many amazing experiences and opportunities, that all started with hard work and a yes. If you’re scared, do it with fear. I was terrified of moving to London away from my family, but I had a dream and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from trying to achieve my goals. Always remember, you’re there for a reason and you’ve earnt your place. Ignore the judgements, overcome the obstacles and work hard. I believe if you see it, you can be it. I want people to see me, to see that they can achieve their dreams, and to believe in themselves. It all starts with you. If you be yourself and work hard, anything is possible.