Admittedly, Dawn Staley is not some kind of soccer savant.
But ever since meeting Emma Hayes, her knowledge has grown immensely.
“When she teaches it, it makes sense,” Staley recently told FOX Sports. “If I’m just watching it, some of the stuff doesn’t make sense. She gave me some in-game strategy. Like, how you cut the field off and ball movement. So things like that, that I had no idea. I knew they were scheming, but I couldn’t see it. Because I probably don’t watch enough soccer.”
It should probably come as no surprise that Staley and Hayes are friends. They’re both among the highest-paid and most successful coaches in their respective sports. They’re proven winners, direct leaders and have always been vocal advocates for women.
Or as Hayes put it recently: “Dawn and I are two of a kind. And honestly, what an incredible coach she is.”
The feeling is mutual. The coaches built a friendship through the Nike Think Tank — a collaborative group of women coaches and athletes who come together and share insights with each other. Hayes and Staley clicked instantly.
“Emma’s got it going on,” Staley said. “Like, she’s got it going on.
“It was great to hear her talk [when we met], to hear…
