Emma Hayes was already deep into her coaching run at Chelsea about a decade ago when an absolute mind-blowing epiphany hit her. Her team had just dropped the 2016 FA Cup final to rival Arsenal, a tough 1-0 loss at Wembley Stadium. She admits the Gunners totally deserved that win. But what she couldn’t figure out at the time, what bugged her for years, was why her players were so *off* that day. Their reaction times were way slower, their coordination was like watching “a group of people that looked separated from their bodies.” Hayes told reporters, “I remember in the middle of the game thinking, ‘What’s wrong with them?’ ‘Is it their nerves?’” She was stumped.
The Wembley Wake-Up Call
Turns out, it wasn’t nerves. Hayes later learned her players were all at different points in their menstrual cycles, and those hormonal fluctuations were straight-up affecting their performance. Brain fog, fluid retention, inflammation, cramping, pelvic floor issues , you know, all the stuff women deal with daily. Hayes realized she knew so little, asking herself, “Why don’t I know these things?” She’s been open about her own endometriosis diagnosis, so she got it. Her players were trying to compete at the highest level while navigating these real, physical challenges. The culture said, “Oh, you’ve got a period? Sit out.” But Hayes wasn’t having it. “It’s not good enough. We don’t want to sit out.” That was the moment. That was the spark.
Building a Superpower, Not a Stigma
Since that eye-opening loss, Hayes has made it her absolute mission to normalize conversations around women’s health. She’s transforming what was once a taboo into, well, a superpower for her athletes. She dove into her own research, figuring out there isn’t even a specific degree dedicated solely to female physiology. So what did she do? She built that education herself. She went out and found scientists, former players, coaches, and anyone else asking the same questions she was. The result is this incredible ecosystem, first at Chelsea and now with the U.S. women’s national team, that puts the “female lens at the heart of everything we do.” Yeah, the goal is absolutely to develop a winning team. They’re prepping for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Olympics on home soil. But it’s bigger than just winning on the field. Hayes and her passionate staff want to share their findings with *all* women and girls in the sport, at every single level. That’s why Hayes and U.S. Soccer just opened the second annual HerLens Conference to 300 people, including NWSL general managers and more, after an internal-only debut last year.
The USWNT just fell to Spain 2-0 in a friendly on Saturday, but they get their shot at redemption against those defending World Champions again on Tuesday. After that, it’s all about qualifying for next summer’s tournament in November. Hayes isn’t just coaching a team; she’s building a whole new foundation for victory, looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup and those 2028 Olympics. That’s massive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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