Vera Pauw (Trustee: NL )

Vera Pauw has made name in the history of Dutch football with several unique records. She was the first woman who played abroad, the first also who got her coach diploma professional football, was as well the first woman in the Technical Committee of the FIFA (together with Sylvie Beliveau) and, finally, layed the foundation of the Dutch premier league for women.

Vera Pauw – born on Januari 18, 1963 in Amsterdam – played for five clubs in her career. Four in Netherlands, and one in Italy. In her own country Pauw joined SV Brederodes, VV Vreeswijk, Puck Deventer and Saestum. In Italy she played for the professional team of CF Modena.

At the end of her active career she joined the Scottish football association, where she was coach of the national women team. She also beared technical responsibility for the policy in Scotland as technical director.

After six years, however, she returned to The Netherlands, to be the successor of Frans de Kat as coach of the national women's team from her own country and again being responsible for the overall policy of the development of girls and women's football in the Netherlands. Her debut as National Coach of The Netherlands– October 14, 2004 – was unforgettable. World champion Germany asked Netherlands for a practise match after Ghana called off. In two days Pauw created a team and kept the world champions on 0-0. However, Netherlands did not qualify for the World Cup of 2007. The team finished third in her group, behind England and France.

Since July 2010 Vera Pauw is Technical Director of the Russian Football Union. She has the responsibility to build the game to a stable structure.

She won the Emancipation Price in November 2009 and was nominated for the Millenium Shoe Award 2009. The last two prices for her work in using sport as a tool to develop girls all over the world.