A leading female paddle sport coach has described her participation in the Women in Sport High Performance (WISH) residential week as an “eye-opening” experience that reshaped her perspective on coaching and leadership.
Nathalie Siegrist, Lead Academy Coach at Paddle UK, is the latest paddle sport coach to join the WISH programme.
Held at the University of Hertfordshire Institute of Sport in early March, the residential week brought together 26 female coaches to connect, learn, and grow in a high-performance environment.
The programme offered participants the chance to step away from their daily environments and fully immerse themselves in learning and development.
“It was an empowering week; it shed light into how we can all be our best selves,” said Siegrist.
“For the first time in an all-female environment, WISH has shown me how I can thrive when the egos drop, and people are there to support each other.”
This sense of shared purpose extended beyond individual development, reinforcing the importance of leadership that prioritises people as much as performance.
“This has been eye-opening. When coaches and leaders are working together and supporting each other to get the best out of each person involved, in a safe environment, people can thrive and grow,” said Siegrist.
As the residential week concluded, the focus shifted toward the next stage of the programme, which will see the cohort continue their development.
“I am excited ahead of the next steps on the WISH pathway, we will now have regular online sessions to continue growing our competencies,” said Siegrist.
“We have formed strong bonds within the coach’s group and are continuing to follow each other’s journeys and supporting through shared knowledge and experiences.”
Whie the programme will officially conclude in July 2027, nearly two years after the cohort first came together, its impact is expected to last far longer.
Through experiences like the recent residential week, the WISH programme continues to demonstrate its value not only in developing high-performance coaches, but in shaping a more inclusive, collaborative and forward-thinking future for sport.
"I'm pleased Nathalie Siegrist from Paddle UK has become the latest female coach from our sport to join this powerful initiative which is helping to create meaningful opportunities,” said ICF Vice President Cecilia Farias.
“We need an environment that actively welcomes more women and girls - not only as athletes, but also as coaches and decision-makers.”
“That is how we build a stronger, more balanced future for the sport.”
Dr. Farias added: "This programme provides the tools, support and network to continue develop coaches for athletes and teams competing at the highest level, including World Championships and the Olympic Games.”
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