More Than Capable- Meet Coach Chalise
This month, TONL partnered with Nike to profile various coaches and young women in soccer as they demonstrate why diverse representation matters in sport, coaching, and the athlete/coach relationship. Throughout this week, hear from Coach Chalise and Antonia Miranda - a coach/player bond that revels in commonalities among gender, culture and a shared interest in soccer. First up, meet Coach Chalise!
TONL: Soccer is a heavily dominated male sport. At what point in your life did you decide to commit yourself to the sport in spite of that realization that you would be the minority?
Coach Chalise: When I laced up my first pair of soccer shoes in Japan at the age of 4. The first team I ever played on was with all boys, but it really wasn’t a thing. I was just playing soccer. It wasn’t until I was 9, when I played with all girls. My sister and I played with a Japanese soccer team before moving to the US, where we realized that was more of the norm. I don't believe I ever felt like I was in the minority while playing as a kid, but recognized it more at the collegiate level and beyond.
How has your culture/ethnicity, gender played a role in the way you coach?
Culturally, I was brought up to always have fun, do your best, give your best effort, and to be respectful. I try to convey that to my teams every time they step on the field. My hope is that they would also take that same mentality off the field. As a female coach, I feel like I am more inclined to be more empathetic than my male counter parts.
What differences do you see in coaching young women of color?
Honestly, there really shouldn’t be a difference. I see more differences in how you coach kids that are from different social and economic backgrounds. Entitlement and family dynamics are a constant challenge when it’s brought on the field. Coming from my cultural background, I would never get away with some of the behaviors or attitudes I coach through on a daily basis. I do wish there was a higher percentage of women of color being represented within the soccer community.
What is a common misconception you wish to dispel as a female/femxle coach?
I think the biggest misconception is that female coaches aren’t as good, intelligent, or capable as male coaches. I wish society would see us just as coaches- We are equally as intelligent and more than capable to coach across all levels and/or genders. We as females have to constantly prove ourselves in regards to knowing and understanding the game just as well, or at times better than some male coaches.
Who was your sports role model growing up and why?
My sister has been a huge role model for me growing up. She paved the way for me in all sports. As a little sister, I just wanted to do everything my older sister did- and we did everything! Soccer, basketball, track, you name it we were very active kids. When we moved to Washington, I was lucky enough to play 3 years on the same team with her. I’m sure it was annoying that her little sister was always around, but she looked after me.
From a professional stand point, I always admired Michelle Akers when I was growing up. She had such a big influence in the women’s game and a huge impact every time she stepped on the field. Even though I was small compared to a lot of opponents, I wanted to dominate in the air just like she did and her work ethic despite having chronic fatigue syndrome was inspiring.
What is your favorite part of your relationship with your player?
It’s amazing to see how far Antonia has come since the first time I met her. It’s so rewarding to see the growth and development of kids you coach not only as soccer players, but as people. I think what makes our relationship so special and fun is that she shares the same passion and joy in the game as I still do. We both have this competitive edge to always want to win, but at the same time, we find joy in the sport.
