Coaches immensely influence athletes as they guide their way to success and comfort them when needed. Coaches also are huge role models, especially for children in sports, and coaches help in shaping the way they perceive the world.
How much does the lack of female coaches influence the athletes-
A huge number of children experience this imbalance in athletic role models. What this means for them is that they only get to see male coaches in sports, and can conclude that sports are for men. And, that even if girls do end up being very skilled, positions in sports will always be occupied by men and it's not a career option available to them, hence discouraging young girls from engaging in sports.
How does this affect girls in specific-
The University of Toronto social psychologist Penelope Lockwood, found that girls benefit from same-gender role models more than boys. Female role models act as “inspirational examples of success” and “guides to the potential accomplishments for which other women can strive,” Lockwood concluded. And the research bears that out: Girls who were coached by men were less likely to pursue coaching careers than those led by women.
How does it affect boys in specific-
Boys are denied the ability to see women in leadership roles that males most respect. Many kids spend time on sports growing up and as a result, tend to respect their coaches a lot. Having women in this position can deeply influence the way they perceive gender roles and how they choose to behave and interact when they are adults in a working environment.
Why aren’t a lot of qualified women choosing to coach the local teams?
Thousands of girls who grew up playing sports are qualified to coach, but the management of teams, when voluntary, is usually based on gender roles. According to a 2009 study by the sociologists Michael Messner and Suzel Bozada-Deas, men typically coach, and women, mostly termed "managers" are actually “team moms,” organizing the snack schedule, managing logistics, and collecting money for coaches’ gifts, among other administrative work. In the researchers’ view, this imbalance stems from “institutional gender regimes” that divide the work between men and women based on traditional roles. The gender gap in confidence and some kids preferring not to have female coaches may also play a role.
Why is there a lack of female coaches for professional teams?
In 2018, of the roughly 2,600 coaches employed by the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS, and MLB, the total number of female coaches is six, 0.23 percent.
The problem starts with a lack of access to open positions. Most of the hiring for these jobs is done by men, and they fill the positions with who they’re comfortable with, and a lot of these men don’t believe women are capable of the job.
Secondly, Women have a lack of networking opportunities, fewer mentors, they have to face gender discrimination, and the demands of the job like traveling and being accessible to athletes 24/7 often are restricted by their unfair household burdens.
Possible solutions-
Organizations and leagues can take up initiatives like the Rooney Rule adopted by the NFL, which requires teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for coaching and football operations positions. Adopting this type of rule at the university level that includes female candidates, along with setting objective criteria for selecting coaches would help women and it would also help increase racial diversity.
Employers should be educated to be open to the idea of hiring the best coach or not hiring since women can bring the same skills that men do.
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