We are so excited to reveal the cover for our new book, How To Coach Girls, that I co-authored with Alison Foley, Boston College Women’s Soccer Head Coach!
How To Coach Girls by Alison Foley and Mia Wenjen
Did you know that 70% of all kids quit organized sports by age 13, with girls quitting 6x the rate of boys?
Volunteer parents and experienced coaches alike will find invaluable advice on creating a successful team that motivates girls to stay in sports beyond the middle school years. Twenty-two chapters cover major issues, including how to pick captains, the importance of growth mindset, issues around body image and puberty, as well as the challenges of coaching your own daughter.
In addition, fifteen professional coaches from a range of sports, including former Olympian athletes, give their advice on what girls need from a coach to allow them to flourish in sports, and most importantly, have fun.
2 Chapter GIVEAWAY of How To Coach Girls
I am giving away two chapters of How To Coach Girls. You can download it here.
How To Coach Girls Table of Contents
What do we cover in How To Coach Girls? Check out the table of contents:
Introduction
The Big Picture
- Differences Between Girls and Boys
- Keeping It Fun!
- Promoting a Growth Mindset
- Developing Team Chemistry
- The ‘How to be a Good Teammate’ Game
- Positive Reinforcement
- Developing Good People, Not Just Good Players
- Social Awareness
Solutions to Specific Issues
- Coaching Your Own Daughter
- Playing Time
- Building a Player’s Confidence
- Cliques on and Off the Field
- Pitfalls of Choosing Captains
- Handling a Losing Streak
- Supporting Multi-Sport Athletes
- Body Image, Puberty and Sports
Pre-Season Planning
- The Player Code of Conduct
- The Parent Code of Conduct
- Creating a Medical Emergency Plan
- Player Goals and Evaluations
- Pre-Season Logistics
Pre-Order HOW TO COACH GIRLS
How To Coach Girls comes out March 1, 2018, but it’s available for pre-order HERE! Thank you so much for your support!
To learn more, please check out How To Coach Girls website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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My books:
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
- ⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
- ⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
- Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026
Free and downloadable guide:
Barbed Wire Between Us Teacher’s Guide
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
The Traveling Taco:
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
- Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
















That’s really awesome! While this isn’t the most useful thing for me, I can definitely see how people need your book! 😀 Congrats!
Thanks Erik! Maybe when you become a dad one day!
So wonderful!! Hearty congrats to you, Mia!! A much needed book! 🙂
Thanks Maria!
I’m excited to see this book in print!
Thanks MaryAnne!
Congratulations, Mia! This is wonderful news!
Thanks so much Galina!
I’m so glad this book is going to exist in the world. What an important topic — and what a great cover!
Thanks so much Ann!