The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), in collaboration with TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All), is pleased to report the successful delivery of the Girls Positive and Safe Coaching Course.
Three courses were delivered to participants in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania, reaching 113 male and 158 female participants across 41 countries, who are coaching a self-reported 18,700 athletes in total.
This course was designed for current and aspiring coaches, sport leaders, and managers who work with female-matching youth and adults in Flying Disc sports.
The course aimed to address gender inequality in sports by empowering participants to create a positive and inclusive environment and help female-matching youth and adults feel confident, strong, and successful.
Through presentations from facilitators and peer-to-peer learning, including group work, scenarios and discussions, participants addressed body image, confidence and mental health, among other topics.
“These courses are a key step in our ongoing commitment to gender equity and athlete safety,” WFDF President Robert “Nob” Rauch said. “The positive feedback and strong participation show that our Members and community are dedicated to building a more inclusive future for our sport. We are proud of our partnership with TAFISA in making this happen.”
The course received strong praise from participants, who shared how the program has already impacted their coaching and their communities.
- “The course has helped me be more mindful of the unique challenges female-matching players face,” said Lynn Abou Chedid (Lebanon). “I now focus more on creating inclusive, empowering spaces where they feel heard, supported, and confident to lead, speak up, and play without fear or judgment.”
- “The course gave me a new mindset into coaching and a new focus,” said Jakelyn Sim Ru Yuen (Brunei). “It has been straightforward and easy to incorporate into training sessions. It may be quite subtle, but it’s there.”
- Khanyisile Mdlankomo (South Africa) shared, “I am now more intentional about creating inclusive training environments where female athletes can feel valued and heard, which fosters greater engagement and resilience. The course also highlighted the importance of addressing gender-specific challenges proactively, such as combating stereotypes, supporting leadership development, and facilitating open conversations about mental health and well-being.”
- “I now get to understand the female players closely and get to have a separate session with them,” added Allan Kimurgor (Kenya). “A few have embraced the concepts and I am happy.”
- Florence Armein (Indonesia) said “Communication is key to me. As I am coaching a high school girls’ team, many, if not all areas of the course apply in every step I make. I am specifically looking forward to creating a safe space, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally, for the players.”
- Khanyisile Mdlankomo (South Africa) remarked, “I am now more intentional about creating inclusive training environments where female athletes feel valued and heard, which fosters greater engagement and resilience. The course also highlighted the importance of addressing gender-specific challenges proactively, such as combating stereotypes, supporting leadership development, and facilitating open conversations about mental health and wellbeing. Overall, this course has transformed not only how I coach, but how I advocate for female athletes’ representation and support within our broader sporting community. For example: during our athletics program. I had to warn a parent about how aggressive she was with the pressure she put on her 13-year-old. The parent is known for being quite harsh and I had to step in and warn her of the psychological damage she may cause the child. It fell on deaf ears, but this is a situation I would have ignored in the past.
Post-Course questionnaires revealed that:
- 100% of coaches believe they have increased their skills to retain more female matching participants in the sport.
- 90% of coaches strongly agree that they know how to help athletes to accept and appreciate their body’s different abilities.
- 84% of coaches strongly agree that they know how to create a safeguarding culture within their sphere of influence.
- 87% of coaches strongly agree that they know how to eliminate barriers that hinder female matching participants’ involvement in the sport.
- 91% of coaches strongly agree that they know how to provide support and foster self-esteem in female matching participants in the sport.
- 84% of coaches have been able to increase the recruitment of female matching athletes and coaches in their organization
- 83% of Coaches have been able to reduce the number of the female matching participants who would otherwise drop out.
The courses were delivered by various facilitators:
- Africa:
- Jane Gakuru (UGA)
- Asia-Oceania:
- Hina Nainani (IND)
- Americas:
- Vanessa Rincones Arana (MEX)
- Ricardo Diaz (MEX)
- Luis Herrera Cervantes (MEX)
- Juan Roberto Leyva (MEX)
- Maria Vargas (MEX)
About WFDF: The World Flying Disc Federation (“WFDF”) is the international sports federation responsible for world governance of flying disc (frisbee) sports, including Ultimate, Beach Ultimate, Disc Golf, Freestyle, Guts, and Individual Events. Formed in 1985, WFDF is a federation of 122 member associations, which represent flying disc sports and their athletes in more than 118 countries. WFDF is an International Federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the International University Sports Federation (FISU), a member of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), the International World Games Association (IWGA), the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), and the Association for the International Sport for All (TAFISA). WFDF is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code and is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in the state of Colorado, USA.
For more information contact:
Yenny Pardo
WFDF Communications & Social Media Manager
World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF)
email: [email protected]