Thirty is the age when most of the female players quit the court/field to take up coaching or house job. Settling down at their base locations, crossing the wall filled with their prizes and reading sports news become the life of female athletes. While most of the female players find it difficult to make it on larger stage due to marriage and maternity pressure there are few names that are shining out in the field.
Government jobs via sports quota, a flat to live in and a family to survive with; unfortunately the Indian female athletes’ story has been the same. However, there is a ray of hope when our first badminton female star Saina Nehwal decided to build a badminton academy in Haryana. Fortunately, the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation have been kind enough to look for a land.
Here are my pick from my favorite female players who turned great coaches as well. When I was watching the Rio Olympics 2016 there was one face which was stuck in my mind was the Volleyball coach of Chinese female team. When I searched I found out that the coach Lang Ping is worth to read know about. Ping led the team between 1995 and 1998 and again took the charge in 2013 as head coach. Since then the team never looked back and won the gold medal. Ping has become the first person in the sports history to win Olympic gold both as player and coach and my heart as well.
The story won’t be complete without the mention of Martina Navratilova. The all time greatest female tennis player and my favorite has won an Open era record 167 single titles and 177 doubles titles and 59 grand slam titles. Currently she is coaching Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland to become a good player. There can be a case that we wouldn’t have heard about four-time-All-America winner and Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Famer women’s basketball player Miller but she caught my eyes while watching few videos of her. Since 2017, she is coaching Langston University women’s basketball team.
Another name that I would like to mention is Amelie Mauresmo who won two grand slams in her career and currently is the coach of Andy Murray. I am looking forward to add Indian names in the list but don’t know when the wait will be over.