When Melanie Thomas steps onto the field, she brings more than 2 decades of coaching experience, global credentials, and a profound love for the game.
As the newly appointed Coordinator of Women’s Football at the Grenada Football Association (GFA), Thomas is here on a mission, not just to train players, but to shift mindsets, create equitable structures, and inspire a generation of girls to take the game seriously and to enjoy it.
A coach rooted in purpose
Melanie Thomas’ journey began in cleats at just 4 years old. From her early days as a centre back, orchestrating plays and commanding leadership, to coaching at all levels in the United States, her trajectory was clear. “I was a natural coach on the field,” she shares, reflecting on how her dual passion for football and education led her into youth development and talent identification.
She has coached at the Women’s Premier Soccer League and professional levels, served as a Director of Operations for the University of New Mexico’s women’s team, and held director roles in major youth clubs in both Seattle and Los Angeles. Her credentials include a USSF A Youth License, UEFA C, and certifications as a Coach Educator and Talent ID specialist, qualifications that make her one of the most technically accomplished women’s football leaders in the Caribbean today.
The Grenadian opportunity: Growing from the ground up
Despite her extensive footballing background, Thomas’ appointment at the GFA marks her first foray into women’s football development at the international level. And she sees this as a pivotal opportunity, both for herself and for Grenada.
“This role is about creating systems and opportunities that did not exist before,” she explains. “My immediate priority is working with schools at the primary and secondary levels to ensure they have the support needed to get girls on the pitch. We are not starting from scratch. There are structures already in place. What we need is to align, support, and grow them.”
Her strategy? Equity in access. “We are not reinventing the wheel,” she clarifies. “We are just making sure girls are invited to roll it too.”
Culture shift: Football is for her too
Thomas is clear-eyed about the challenges: “One of the biggest barriers is not infrastructure, it’s mindset. There is still a cultural perception that football is a men’s sport. That is the real challenge. We have to help families, teachers, and community leaders understand that football for girls is a vehicle, not just for sport, but for confidence, scholarships, careers, and character development.”
She is working to dismantle this stigma by focusing on community engagement, coach education, and grassroots expansion. Under her leadership, the GFA plans to relaunch girls’ grassroots festivals, support school competitions, and grow participation in every parish. With local buy-in, Thomas believes the change will be transformative. “If we can make football a fun, natural choice for girls in their free time, not something unusual or intimidating, that is success.”
Tied to a bigger vision
Thomas’ appointment aligns directly with President Marlon Glean’s bold vision for football in Grenada: one where women’s and girls’ football is no longer an afterthought, but a strategic pillar of national growth. Under President Glean’s administration, the GFA has prioritised capacity building, youth development, and international partnerships, a context that gives Thomas the runway to make real change.
“The vision for women’s football is not just inclusion, it’s integration. Girls should be able to access every layer of the football pyramid, from grassroots to elite.”
Thomas will also be working alongside FIFA Talent Coach Neil Murphy, creating a powerful duo dedicated to raising the technical and developmental standards of Grenadian football.
The bigger picture: A movement beyond the field
While many of Thomas’ goals are technical, such as increasing player pools, enhancing coaching standards and fostering school-club pipelines, her deeper aim is empowerment. “Every time I help a girl realise she belongs in this game, I remember why I started,” she said. “This is about more than goals and trophies. It is about belief.”
As Thomas settles into her new role, already engaging with coaches and igniting energy on the training field, it’s clear that her impact will stretch far beyond match day. Thomas is not just coaching. She is cultivating a movement, one that makes space for every girl in Grenada to dream, play, and thrive in football.
GFA
Continue Reading
