Renate Blindheim
{{short description|Norwegian football manager (born 1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Renate Blindheim
| fullname = Renate Køppen Blindheim{{cite web |url=http://www.playmakerstats.com/player.php?id=204047|title=Renate Blindheim|publisher=PlaymakerStats |accessdate=19 February 2021}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1994|3|17}}
| birth_place =
| height =
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Sotra (manager)
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Sandviken
| nationalyears1 = 2009
| nationalteam1 = Norway U15
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2010
| nationalteam2 = Norway U16
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2020–
| managerclubs1 = Sotra
}}
Renate Køppen Blindheim (born 17 March 1994) is a Norwegian football manager and former footballer who is currently manager of Norwegian 2. divisjon club Sotra. In June 2020, Blindheim gained attention for being the first female manager to manage a professional Norwegian men's football team.
Early life
Blindheim grew up in Bergen and aspired to be a professional footballer from a young age. She represented Norway 3 times at youth level, featuring alongside future Norway senior international players such as Guro Reiten and Caroline Graham Hansen.{{NFF|2551947}} Blindheim struggled with injuries and, at the age of 17, retired from football after a serious foot injury. After this, she decided to focus on coaching her younger sister. Her father was a football manager at the time.{{cite web |url=https://sport.tvp.pl/52132134/renate-blindheim-trenerka-z-norweskiej-wyspy|title=Renate Blindheim – "przypadkowa" trenerka z norweskiej wyspy|publisher=TVP Sport |accessdate=19 February 2021|language=Polish|last=Parzonka|first=Aleksandra}}
Managerial career
Blindheim first worked as a youth coach for Gneist and then later for Olsvik. After her spell at Olsvik, she worked as a player development coach at Åsane. It was during this time that she decided to aspire to be a manager in the Eliteserien, the top tier of Norwegian men's football.{{cite web |url=https://www.nrk.no/sport/blindheim-_25_-vil-bli-den-forste-kvinnelige-treneren-i-eliteserien-1.14935429|title=Blindheim (25) vil bli den første kvinnelige treneren i Eliteserien|publisher=NRK |date=10 March 2020|accessdate=19 February 2021|language=Norwegian|last1=Bløndal|first1=Thomas|last2=Becker|first2=Mia}}
On 19 June 2020, it was announced that Blindheim would be the manager of 2. divisjon club Sotra, meaning that she would be the first female manager to take charge of a professional Norwegian men's football team.{{cite web |url=https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/stories/news/detail/renate-blindheim-female-football-coach-men-team/|title=Renate Blindheim breaks new ground for female football coaches in Norway|publisher=Olympic Channel |date=21 July 2020|accessdate=19 February 2021|last=Binner|first=Andrew}} The news of her appointment led to significant international media coverage of both her and the club.{{cite web |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/fotball/i/K3OXq6/renate-blindheim-og-sotra-blir-omtalt-verden-over|title=Renate Blindheim og Sotra blir omtalt verden over: – Det har vært intenst|work=Aftenposten |date=31 July 2020|accessdate=19 February 2021|language=Norwegian}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bt.no/sport/i/Opw3vO/blindheim-etter-historisk-kamp-det-har-vaert-mye-oppmerksomhet|title=Blindheim etter historisk kamp: – Det har vært mye oppmerksomhet|work=Bergens Tidende |date=22 June 2020|accessdate=19 February 2021|language=Norwegian}} After six league games, Sotra were undefeated and at the top of the league table with five victories.{{cite web |url=https://www.nettavisen.no/sportspill/tipping/oppturen-fortsetter-for-den-historiske-kvinnetreneren/s/12-95-3424008517|title=Oppturen fortsetter for den historiske kvinnetreneren|work=Nettavisen |date=21 August 2020|accessdate=19 February 2021|language=Norwegian|last=Duesund|first=Tommy}} Following that spell, however, the team's form worsened and they had one draw and seven losses, meaning that they were seventh in the league.{{cite web |url=https://www.nettavisen.no/sport/renate-blindheim-26-ble-historisk-og-fikk-en-drommestart-i-sotra-na-sliter-laget-tungt-satser-pa-at-jeg-ikke-mister-jobben/s/12-95-3424043563|title=Renate Blindheim (26) ble historisk og fikk en drømmestart i Sotra. Nå sliter laget tungt: - Satser på at jeg ikke mister jobben|work=Nettavisen |accessdate=19 February 2021|language=Norwegian|last=Tørre|first=Michael}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blindheim, Renate}}
Category:Footballers from Bergen
Category:Women's association football midfielders
Category:Norwegian women's footballers
Category:21st-century Norwegian sportswomen
Category:Norway women's youth international footballers
Category:Norwegian women's football managers
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