USA Weightlifting and WeCOACH Team Up to Empower Women Coaches

COLORADO SPRINGS – USA Weightlifting is proud to announce a new partnership with WeCoach. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the shared mission to increase gender equity and elevate women in the coaching profession. WeCOACH and USA Weightlifting will launch a series of initiatives aimed at supporting, educating, and empowering women coaches.

Through this strategic alliance, WeCOACH memberships will be provided to USAW coaches, and access to USAW’s Coaching Fundamentals Courses and opportunities to complete Level 1 and 2 Coach Certification courses will be provided to WeCOACH members, all to assist coaches with advancing their careers. The partnership kicked off with USAW coaches participating in the recent WeCOACH Youth & High School Women Coaches Academy held on August 16.

"This partnership is a powerful statement about what’s possible when organizations unite around a shared purpose," said Vanessa Fuchs, CEO of WeCOACH. "Together with USA Weightlifting, we’re creating pathways for women to thrive in coaching roles and lead with confidence in a traditionally male-dominated space."

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to elevating the coaching profession by investing in women coaches across all levels of our sport—from grassroots to high performance,” said Dr. Anna Swisher, Director of Coach Development and Sport Science at USA Weightlifting. “By connecting USA Weightlifting coaches with WeCOACH’s powerful network and educational resources, and welcoming WeCOACH members into our coach certification pathways, we’re expanding access, strengthening our community, and supporting coaches in building both their technical expertise and leadership skills. WeCOACH has done so much to empower and support women coaches; it’s an honor to partner with them and continue to deliver professional development for women coaches.”

WeCOACH members interested in accessing USAW’s Coaching Fundamentals Courses may click here. For more information about this partnership and upcoming initiatives, visit wecoachsports.org.

ABOUT USA WEIGHTLIFTING

USA Weightlifting, a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), is the National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of weightlifting in the United States. The mission of USA Weightlifting is to grow and develop weightlifting to support lifelong participation and achieve Olympic podium success. For over 40 years, the USAW Level 1 Coach Certification is recognized as the gold standard in weightlifting education. To better support women coaches, USAW created the Women’s Coaching Collective, which provides opportunities for professional development, education, and mentorship. To learn more and sign up, please visit Women's Coaching Collective. For more information about USAW, visit USAWeightlifting.org.

ABOUT WeCOACH

Founded in 2011, WeCOACH is a one-of-a-kind 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches in all sports and levels through year-round professional growth & leadership development programs. Prior to Title IX, over 90% of women’s collegiate sports teams were coached by women. Today, over 50 years later, the data indicates that number has decreased to 41% across all three NCAA Divisions, with only 7% women head coaches of color. Only 5% women coach men's teams. At the youth level, the data is hard to estimate, approximately less than 20% of teams are coached by women. WeCOACH launched MOVE the NUMBERS in 2022 to help change the landscape for women coaches and the student-athletes they lead. If she can see her, she can be her. For more information visit MOVE the NUMBERS.