Our recent panel discussion shined a light on the pivotal role that coach representation plays in motivating girls of color, highlighting the historical and contemporary challenges that have impeded women of color from assuming coaching and leadership roles, and delve into practical strategies for attracting, recruiting, and supporting BIPOC women entering these spaces. We hope that you were able to gain a deeper understanding of the obstacles and opportunities in diversifying sports teams and Youth Sports Organizations and will be equipped with actionable steps to initiate real change in the leaders that young girls can look up to.
Watch the recording to learn more about:
We invite you to dig deeper and learn more about our panelists’ research and resources:
Maria Lopez
Director of Member Experience, Engagement & Inclusion at WeCOACH
Maria Lopez has over 18+ years of tennis coaching experience at all levels of the game, with twelve of those years at the collegiate level, with her most recent stop as the Associate Head Coach at Boise State University, where she helped implement a vision of excellence through community outreach, alumni engagement, player and program development, revenue generation and fundraising, as well as driving and collaborating on DEI initiatives for the athletics department.
She has coached five conference titles and two NCAA national championship teams at the collegiate level, as well as being named the ITA Regional and National Coach of the Year on two different occasions. She also worked with a Top 50 WTA player. As a player, she was the former number one player in Venezuela during her junior career and a two-time All-American in 2001 and 2002. In addition, she was a three-time All-Sunshine State Conference selection. She is currently a board member of the Latina Tennis Coach Association and volunteers some of her time with the Sports Equality Foundation.
She is a graduate of the 2022 NCAA Women Coaches Academy Class #51 and an active member of the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), since 2010 and the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) since 2023. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in E-Commerce and a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from Barry University. She is passionate about equity in women’s sports, particularly for women coaches, and is committed to empowering change to create inclusive environments to help benefit the lives of others.
Carolyn Sideco
Sports Relationship Coach, Founder of Coaching Kapwa Sports Consultants LLC
Carolyn Sideco (She / Coach / Siya), aka Coach Sideco, is a sports relationship coach, and the founder of Coaching Kapwa Sports Consultants LLC. Her own sports identity includes a long arc of being an athlete, coach, referee, physical educator, sports administrator, parent, mentor, and sports culture affirmationist. Carolyn is an NIAAA Certified Athletic Administrator, a Spiritual Life Coach, and a Nature Framework Life Coach. She believes sports are the most fun pathways to reimagine the practice and surrender of ourselves to the liberatory ways of racial justice, ethnic studies, decolonization, and community building. Carolyn continues to make a daily ritual of crafting and emerging identity through deepening relationships with people and energies. Now, with over 30 years of rooting lineage threads in all levels of education, Coach knows that everyone has a relationship with sports; and our collective expression bares itself on the playing fields, courts, and gyms - oftentimes to our dehumanization, and sometimes to our self-actualization. Carolyn invites people to engage with, share, and reflect on their relationships with sports to contribute to a healing, liberating, and harmonious existence with one another.
Katayoun "Kat" Khosrowyar
Former Iran U19 National Team Head Coach,
Former OL Reign U19 Academy Head Coach, API Coaches Community Member
Katayoun 'Kat' Khosrowyar is a pioneering force in the soccer world, known for championing women's rights to play across the Middle East and igniting a women's soccer revolution in the region. As the first American-Iranian athlete to play soccer internationally while proudly representing the Iran national soccer team, Khosrowyar has broken barriers and inspired countless individuals.
Her dedication to advancing women's soccer goes beyond the field. Khosrowyar made history as the first woman to receive the prestigious FIFA A license for coaching. Under her guidance, the U19 national Iran women's team achieved remarkable success, reaching the top 3 in Asia and earning her a nomination for the best coach of Asia award.
In 2021, Khosrowyar's humanitarian efforts were highlighted when she was part of the team that helped evacuate the youth Afghan women's national team to Portugal, providing them with a safe haven to continue pursuing their passion for soccer amidst challenging circumstances.
Beyond her soccer achievements, Kat holds two master's degrees, showcasing her commitment to continuous learning and growth. With a background in chemical engineering and global affairs, she brings a unique perspective to her work both on and off the field.
Khosrowyar's passion for soccer and advocacy for women's rights and humanitarian causes serve as a beacon of inspiration, driving positive change and empowerment throughout the Middle East and beyond.
Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique
Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Services at Benedict College
Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique (Ph.D., University of Georgia) joined Benedict College in the fall 2022 as the Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Services. With 20 years of experience in higher education, an extensive research background, and a strong vision for leadership in the field of education, Carter-Francique served sporting spaces that center experiences of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
Carter-Francique examines issues of race, gender, social class, and their intersections with sport, education, and society. She has presented at regional, national, and international conferences and written several articles and book chapters across academic disciplines to include being the co-editor of Athletic Experience at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Past, Present, and Persistence and Critical Race Theory: Black Athletic Experiences in the United States.
Carter-Francique serves as a research council member and consultant with Laureus “Sport for Good”; academic advisory council member for Athlete Voices; advisory committee member with Adapted Sport LABS; co-organizer with the Wall of Song Project; editorial board member for the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics & the Sport Social Work Journal; 2018-2019 President of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport; and co-founder of Francique Sport and Education Consulting, LLC with her husband Alleyne Francique, OBE, OLY.
Moderator: Daycia McClam
Daycia McClam is a youth development professional with over a decade of experience advocating for young adults in sports and higher education. Daycia joined Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) in 2023 as the Director of Community Impact, where she evaluates the organization’s outreach efforts and community organizing. She also gathers data that will guide the implementation of PCA’s strategic impact vision in its assigned cities and areas.
Most recently, Daycia was the director of Project Play WNY/Youth Sports Initiatives Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. In this role, she served as the link between the Community Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the WNY Youth Sports Advisory Council, contractors, working groups, and key stakeholders. She developed, formalized, and maintained a strong youth sports network, as well as executed Project Play’s learning and evaluation strategy.
Before that, she was the education program manager for the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, advocating for key issues impacting girls and sports. She developed and coordinated program activities to meet the needs of the community, as well as the non-profit's programmatic and expansion objectives. She collaborated with United Way coalitions to identify barriers to access and develop equitable strategies to reach underserved communities. Her career also includes previous roles at Medaille College’s Upward Bound Programs and the University of Buffalo.
Outside of work, Daycia is actively involved in her community. She is a board member of Young Audiences of WNY and works as a school mentor at SAY YES to Education Buffalo. On Sundays, she continues her commitment to youth as teen ministries coordinator at Edison Community Church.
