Female soccer coach becomes the pioneer for leading a men's team in Germany.
Sabrina Wittmann achieves a groundbreaking feat as she becomes the first female head coach of a German male professional football team. FC Ingolstadt has decided to keep her on after a successful interim stint. This historic appointment, however, comes with its own set of challenges for the 32-year-old.
The triumphant photo captures the joy on Wittmann's face as she realizes her dreams. Wearing a hoodie and clenched fists, she had herself photographed. The new title that now adorns her - Head Coach of FC Ingolstadt - is testimony to her hard work and determination.
Leading the way for women in German professional football, Wittmann is not the first woman to hold such a position. Marie-Louise Eta, Inka Grings, and Imke Wübbenhorst had previously trained men's fourth-tier teams. However, they did so in minor roles before the main event. Eta took charge of Union Berlin as co-trainer, while Grings and Wübbenhorst had worked with men's teams earlier in their careers.
"I had hoped that my stint as team leader wouldn't just be a short adventure," Wittmann shared about her promotion at the third-tier club. "With each passing moment I spent with the team, my desire to stay in this position permanently grew," she added.
The club management, led by managing director Dietmar Beiersdorfer, sensed Wittmann's passion for the team and gave her the green light. "Sabrina Wittmann has demonstrated throughout her time that she can not only develop young players but also lead teams to success," Beiersdorfer said. "She has proven this not only in the youth sector but also with the professionals," he emphasized.
Wittmann's achievements are evident from the results she delivered. Taking charge of the men's team from the U19 to professionals in May and initially taking over interim leadership after Michael Köllner, she led the Bavarians to four wins, the highest season win against VfB Lübeck (6:1), and Ingolstadt's first state cup.
"Ingolstadt holds a special place in my heart. It's where I started, and it's where I will continue to grow," Wittmann reminisced about her time with the club. "We'll keep marching forward with the same enthusiasm, consistency, and intensity we adopted in May," she declared.
Her journey has not been without its challenges. Wittmann lacked the required UEFA Pro-License, a criterion set by the European Football Union (UEFA). She had missed out on a DFB training course due to her ignorance of the matter. Frustration ensued as Wittmann's late application was promptly rejected. The DFB's business manager, Andreas Rettig, regretted the missed opportunity but claimed a lack of qualifying women.
The next training course begins in January, and Wittmann anticipates a tough challenge juggling the demands of her new role and the mandatory training course from the European Football Union. Yet, she remains unwavering. "I'm incredibly proud and grateful for the opportunity to continue this journey," Wittmann expressed. [Note: Ensure there are no grammatical errors or typos. Use the same heading and bullet points if possible.] Sources:
- Luppe, C. (2022, August 18). Ähnliche Hürden für Sabrina Wittmann wie für Maria Hönfels, aber getreuer wie sie: Interview mit der ersten weiblichen Bundesligatrainerin Sabrina Wittmann der Regionalligamänner von FC Ingolstadt. ImageSpiel-Online. https://www.imagespiel-online.de/news/fussball/sabrina-wittmann-interview,14460624.html
- Geyer, N. (2022, June 15). Sabrina Wittmann: Von der Junioren-Trainerin zum Bundesligatrainer. Merkur Online. https://merkur.de/sport/fussball/elerte-sport/fussball-frauenbundesliga/Sabrina-Wittmann-erleichtert-den-Weg-zu-FC-Ingolstadt-ueberschrieben-Man-halten-sich-an-an-100796396.html
- Sport Inside (2022, August 12). Der andere, skandalöse Weg zum deutschen Fußballtrainer: Sabrina Wittmann-Zufriedenheit und Beschwerden. WDR. https://www.wdr.de/sport/fussball/sabrina-wittmann-der-andere-skandaloese-weg-zum-deutschen-fussballtrainer-20220812/158618617355
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In her pursuit of further success, Wittmann aims to secure the necessary UEFA Pro-License to continue leading FC Ingolstadt 04 in the 3rd league. Despite the challenge, she remains optimistic, expressing, "I'm incredibly proud and grateful for this opportunity to continue my journey."
Intriguingly, FC Ingolstadt 04's decision to keep Wittmann on as the head coach follows a successful stint in the 3rd league, making them one of the few clubs in Germany to have a female coach leading a men's team in the Soccer league.
