Thank You, Steph Houghton
Lioness Steph Houghton steps down as an ambassador of Coach Core.
As Steph Houghton steps down from her role as ambassador for the Coach Core Foundation, we want to take a moment to recognise her support over the years. Known for her outstanding football career with Manchester City and England, where she earned 121 caps and captained her country for eight years, Steph has also been a passionate advocate for the power of sport to create opportunities.
Throughout her time with Coach Core, Steph has helped raise awareness of the charity’s work, which offers young people the chance to build a future through sports coaching apprenticeships. Coach Core provides vital skills, qualifications, and employment opportunities to those facing barriers to education and work, and Steph’s involvement has been a welcome part of that journey.
I think the work Coach Core do to give young people skills, qualifications and meaningful work is really special. The apprentices I’ve met have been inspiring in their passion to push themselves, and commitment to their communities.
Her passion for the game and commitment to advocating for equal opportunities in sport has shone through in her support for Coach Core and in her broader contributions to the growth of women’s football. She has been a role model for girls and young women around the country, but also for our apprentices specifically. She has taken time to get to know our apprentices and share with them what she’s learned over the years about coaching and growing the next generation of players, whether they be recreational or elite – see the video below. As she transitions into her next chapter, including work as a respected pundit, Steph remains dedicated to the causes she cares about.
While Steph’s role as ambassador may be coming to an end, her continued belief in the importance of sport in shaping young lives is clear. We’re grateful for the time and energy she has given to our charity, and for the positive example she sets for young people everywhere.
Thank you, Steph, for your support and for being part of the Coach Core story. We look forward to seeing what comes next in your incredible journey.
“Steph has been a wonderful ambassador for Coach Core since 2017, supporting us in a number of ways and speaking so passionately about young people finding the right career through sport. Her accolades in the game speak for themselves but for me, she is one of the most humble and engaging individuals you could hope to meet and whenever she has met with our young people, they have always been so connected and inspired by her journey. I’m hugely grateful to Steph for her time and support over the years and wish her all the love and luck in the world with the next steps on her journey after retirement and focusing on projects closer to home. Thank you!”
– Gary Laybourne, CEO