By Will Jennings, Sportsbeat

A PAIR of coaches with ties to North Yorkshire are hoping that a new UK Sport initiative can help them fulfil their Olympic dreams.

Naomi Johnston - a keen cyclist while growing up in York - and Lysa Jones, who coaches at The Oaks Golf Club near the Minster city, have taken part in the new Female Coaching Leadership Programme.

The initiative aims to more than double female representation in the Olympic and Paralympic community by Paris 2024

British Cycling’s junior academy sprint coach Johnston has already experienced success in her coaching, attending both the Junior European and Junior World Track Championships in 2019, scooping six medals from her 10 athletes.

The 25-year-old said: “I had never been to an international competition before, as a coach or a rider.

“One of the girls, Emma Finucane, got European champion, and then the boys were third at the Worlds in the team sprint, so that was a huge thing for me.

“When I was younger, I was never coached by a female. I think that was a big part of what made me want to get into a role like this. I think you bring something different to the role than a male coach and I think it’s really important to have that diversity.

“Coaching at an Olympics one day would be my dream. But also, I’d really like to see more female coaches, particularly in track sprinting because that is such a male-dominated area of cycling.

“I was the first female sprint coach that’s ever been so I think for more females to be involved would be as rewarding as getting to an Olympic Games. It would mean a lot.”

Meanwhile, golf guru Jones, under-18 boys coach at England Golf, says the experience with the programme has whetted her appetite for the big occasion.

She said: “Bring on 2024. I'm ready for the Olympics – definitely.

“I want to make history and I want to change history. I'd love to be the female coach at the men's British Open with one of my players who's just about to turn pro.”

Jones was mentored by the experienced Claire Morrison, who works as performance coach at GB Boccia.

And on Morrison’s influence, Jones said: “We've attended three virtual sessions with Claire as she prepares her athletes for Tokyo and she's just such a fantastic coach.

“She's a master coach so she's highly regarded in the field – she's very calm and creates a very reflective environment.

“I hope I am as good as Claire one day."

The programme has also inspired Jones to connect with her fellow coaches in a much more significant way.

“I've not opened up so much as I have in this group. With my fellow male colleagues and coaches, you almost put that front up as a female coach and you put your armour on,” she added.

“Being in a virtual room with Karen Brown I’ve really opened up and I've not opened up this much to other coaches.”

UK Sport’s female coaches leadership programme is positioning 28 coaches as role models for the next generation of female coaches. It marks a turning point of truly making the coaching workforce in the Olympic and Paralympic community far more diverse and gender equal. For more information visit uksport.gov.uk.