The path to reaching the elite level in women’s football is fiercely competitive, and filled with obstacles for young players aspiring to become professionals in the WSL.

It’s a reality 19-year-old Alex Hennessy knows all too well as she progressed through the youth ranks at Arsenal, and represented the Lionesses at various youth levels from Under-15 to Under-19. In September 2021, aged just 16, she made her senior debut for the Gunners in a WSL clash against Reading, replacing Steph Catley for the final 12 minutes of a 4-0 win.

A few months later, Hennessy joined Crystal Palace on loan for the remainder of the 2021/22 season, and that was followed by a permanent move to West Ham United at the end of the campaign. Six months later, she joined Charlton Athletic in the Women’s Championship.

While it seemed Hennessy’s career was taking off, the harsh realities of life in the women’s game for young players was already starting to take its toll. Despite the perceived glamour associated with professional football, the financial rewards, especially for young players, are minimal.

“From an early age, I had quite a lot of first-team experience,” Hennessy told 90min. “But the difficulties were a lot to do with the cost of travelling to football, expenses and things like that.

“As a young player, you didn’t really get offered a contract until you were 18, and when I was at Arsenal with the first-team, I was having to come in three, four or more times a week. If my mum, dad or grandad weren’t around, I’d have to find ways to get to training myself.”

It was at that point the then-16-year-old began to consider options outside of playing, with the travel and financial burdens starting to weigh heavy. Yet, instead of it being the end of her journey in football – it was only the beginning.

“I love football and everything about football, so coaching seemed like the perfect fit,” Hennessy continued. “I’ve always played football and been around high-level coaches, having been in the system from a young age, so I always thought it was a career path that had potential.

“Initially, I started coaching alongside playing football,  but what I’ve now built with Alextra Academy, it’s grown so quickly and it was impossible to do both [playing and coaching]. Building something up takes a lot of time and effort, as does playing professional football, especially when it’s not close to home.

“Travelling a lot and running a business would have been pretty hard, so I chose coaching in the end and I’m so glad I did as it’s doing really well, it’s inspiring lots of kids, and giving them an environment they didn’t have before.”

With the support of the FA and England Football Learning, Hennessy was able to embark on her coaching journey, with help and funding to complete her introductory courses. She now has her eyes set on completing her UEFA C Licence, as she continues to build her academy and deliver sessions to boys and girls of all ages in Essex.

Hennessy added: “In the beginning, I only offered private sessions and one to one coaching, as I wasn’t too comfortable starting out with massive groups. Whenever I was coaching [before the academy] I was always the assistant or the cone collector. I wasn’t really leading the sessions, so when I was taking it on myself, I started off small with one to one in a park.

“People would walk past and ask for my details, and slowly I gained a good reputation in the area. More players then came to me asking for coaching, and soon enough I didn’t have enough hours to just do private sessions, so it formed into groups of kids aged 10 upwards.

“Now, two years later, our youngest players are five and the oldest is 18. We also have a few adults that come in for extra sessions as well, so it’s a wide range of ages.”

Not only does Hennessy serve a role model for those she coaches day to day, but the 19-year-old’s journey shows young female footballers, who have been released from clubs, they can maintain their pursuit of a football career through coaching.

“Having that alternative, or a second career path, to either do on the side of football or as an alternative, is so important. It’s good to have something to fall back on,” Hennessy concluded.

“Coaching is fantastic, I think. You know the game and you’ve experienced going through an academy. You’ve worked with different coaches as a player and observed how they run sessions, and the equipment they use.

“You learn small things, like how many balls or cones you need, but also things like how to engage players. I believe those experiences [as a player] helped me on my coaching journey.

“All the coaches I’ve had, male or female, it’s all kind of drip fed into my own style of coaching. I’d encourage any young person, especially those coming through the system, to dip your toes in and see if you like it. If you do, it’s there to get involved in.”

England Football Learning deliver courses and qualifications for managers and directors at the elite level, as well as those looking to make a start at grassroots level with the Introduction to Coaching Football. In addition to the courses, England Football Learning offers ongoing support to coaches at every level, with regional support coaches delivering continued development sessions across the country to upskill coaches from grassroots up.

READ THE LATEST WOMEN’S FOOTBALL NEWS, OPINION & ANALYSIS