Recognizing a female trailblazer is commending the efforts of exceptional women who amidst all odds have defied stereotypes and created paths for others to follow. These women can be found in any part of the world and in all sphere of life.
Ranging from one profession to another, they make their mark through persistence and achieve outstanding success.
In this article, we will be looking at the story of Chan Yuen Ting the first woman to coach a men’s professional association football team to the championship of a nation’s top league.
This is very strange but true because a passionate lady refused to give up on her dreams.
Chan Yuen Ting was born on the 7 of October 1988, from her childhood days her heart was craving for football, her parent thought it was wise to let her explore her passion since she was only a child and they had thought that she would give it up when she grows into a woman.
Chan studied geography at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and graduated in 2010, she furthered her education with a master’s degree in sports science and health management.
She worked as an assistant manager at fellow Hong Kong Premier League clubs Pegasus FC and Southern District FC and with her skills, she led their under-18 team to three trophies. She also held coaching roles with the Hong Kong women’s national association football and futsal teams and played for a non-professional club team from Sha Tin.
Chan later joined the Eastern Sports Club and years after she was appointed as the manager of the professional Club during the Hong Kong Premier League, replacing her predecessor Yeung Ching Kwong.
This was a ground breaking achievement for Chan because she was the first female manager in the league.
During her time, the club won the 2015–16 seasons, losing only one of the fifteen games played since Chan took over.
The team’s victory reported Chan as the first woman to coach a men’s professional association football team to the championship of a nation’s top league. A month after Chan was appointed manager, the team won the 2015–16 Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield, and that was just the beginning of her achievements.
In 2017, she became the first woman to coach a male football club in a top-flight continental competition when she managed a team against Guangzhou Evergrande in the AFC Champions League.
Chan holds the AFC “A” License and AFC “Futsal Level 2” License coaching certifications.
