Step into the level that changes the game
For Female Leaders in sport who are ready to lead on top of their game – where leadership meets legacy.
UNSHAKEABLE FEMININE LEADERSHIP FOR WOMEN GOING FOR GOLD
The golden League RETREAT
Five Days in Andalusia. The deepest work of your leadership career.
At a resort that matches the standard you set for everything else.
6 – 10 OCTOBER 2026 · VILUZ RESORT · ANDALUSIA, SPAIN
Step into the level that changes the game
For Female Leaders in sport who are ready to lead on top of their game – where leadership meets legacy.
Free
Inspiration Boost
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You operate at Champions League level
High-stakes tournaments. Political dynamics.
Executive rooms where every word carries weight.
You didn’t get here by accident.
You earned your seat in rooms that were never designed for you. And you stayed.
Now the question is no longer:
“Do I belong here?”
The question is:
“Am I playing my full game?”
Because playing at this level and playing relaxed are not the same thing.
Is this you?
- You rarely walk into a room fully relaxed. Alert? Yes. Relaxed? Not quite.
- The evening before a decisive board meeting, you reopen the deck at 22:37. One slide feels “slightly off.” You adjust a sentence. Tighten a headline. Not because it’s weak - but because you refuse to leave space for doubt.
- In discussions, you often know your position within minutes. Still, when you speak, you add context. Nuance. A bridge. You turn a sharp point into a well-constructed argument - so it cannot be dismissed as “too direct.”
- When a colleague interrupts or states something half-formed with confidence, you pause. You read the room. You calculate whether correcting him will cost political capital. By the time you decide, the conversation has moved on.
- When your team underdelivers, you feel it in your body before you think it. A tightening. A forward lean. You step in. Rewrite. Refine. It’s faster if you do it yourself. And everyone knows you will.
- After a high-stakes conversation, you replay one specific moment on the drive home. Not the whole meeting. Just that sentence. The tone. The pause. You ask yourself whether you gave away ground - even if nobody else noticed.
From the outside, you are composed. Strategic. Established.
Inside, your system is still managing risk.
You are not insecure.
You are not underqualified.
You are simply leading with a level of alertness that no longer matches your position.
And that constant calibration costs energy.
You are not looking for a new title.
You are ready for a different way of occupying the one you have.
- To walk into the highest-stakes rooms fully relaxed - not because you prepared more than everyone else, but because your body no longer feels the need to scan, anticipate or brace. You sit down, and the room adjusts around your presence instead of the other way around.
- To state your position once - clearly, precisely - and let it stand. No extra layer of context to soften it. No strategic cushioning. No second explanation to make it more acceptable. Just clarity that carries its own authority.
- To influence direction at board level without increasing your operational load. To shape decisions, long-term strategy and structural shifts - while no longer being the one who instinctively steps in to fix, refine or carry what others can hold.
- To make bold decisions that may disappoint people - and remain internally steady afterward. Not replaying the tone. Not managing their emotions in your head. Trusting that your leadership does not require emotional over-functioning.
- To stop subtly managing perception - and fully occupy space. To speak without calculating how it will land. To hold silence without filling it. To let your authority be felt without performing it.
This is not about becoming louder. Or harder.
It is about leading at the highest level without your nervous system paying the price.
That is the shift.
And that’s where I come in.
About
Esther Huijsmans
- Consider me your unfair advantage in competitive systems. I’ve spent 20+ years inside professional high-pressure sport environments - including FIFA World Cups and UEFA competitions - so I understand how the game is played. And what it takes to lead in the world of sport.
- My superpower? I see fast where you’re still playing small in moments that ask for full authority. Where you’re still adjusting when you no longer need to. And what happens when you simply take your full space.
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The only woman at the table? Been there. The one everyone looks at when decisions get tense? Been there too. From stadiums to strategy rooms, I know what it takes to lead under pressure - without hardening, shrinking or over-performing.
let's do it
Work with me
THE GOlden league retreat
For senior women in sport and male-dominated industries who are done leading at a cost that was never necessary.
6 - 10 October 2026 · Viluz Resort · Mijas, Spain
SUCCESS Programme
Are you a female manager in a male-dominated industry aiming to present yourself with unshakable self-confidence and power? In my 1-on-1 Feminine Leadership Programme, we work together for 6 months to empower you to become that powerful female leader who boldly and authentically claims her place in your organisation.
OWN YOUR GAME (start: NOV 2025)
SCORING BIG
In the Scoring Big VIP Programme, we’ll work together for one month on your network and Personal Brand.
You learn how to confidently present yourself online, in networking events, and during job interviews.
Speaker
At your event
In my signature speech "The Winning Game Plan: Strategies for Female Leaders to Succeed" I share practical tips and inspiring stories to help women discover and harness their leadership potential, break through the glass ceiling, and take our place at the top. Because the time for hesitancy is over, it's time to score! From the "glass ceiling" to "the sky is the limit!"
incompany trainings
As the "only woman at the table" in the world of football, I know firsthand the challenges women face in male-dominated environments. In my InCompany Training, I share my tips and experiences and empower women to confidently present themselves with strength and self-assurance.
What others say
In addition to having a lot of fun in the mentorship programme with Esther, it has greatly helped me to recognise and address my own pitfalls. Moreover, I've become much more aware of my own strengths and capabilities, which I now have the courage to express!
Esther is a fantastic coach. She radiates a very positive vibe. With a wealth of experience, she knows how to help you find the right paths; to motivate you to persevere, even when things get tough, and above all, to listen and ask the right questions, leading you to many insights. I've greatly benefited from my journey with her and would definitely recommend such a programme.
The SUCCESS programme is a true investment in yourself, especially if you're a woman working in the sports/events industry. Esther has walked the same path, and she can propel your professional career into a higher gear. Esther shows you what you need to work on; she's clear, practical, and with a variety of exercises (ranging from down-to-earth to sometimes even a bit spiritual), you discover your areas for improvement and receive a nice confirmation of what you're good at.
Blog
New posts
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