The Challenges Facing Women Coaches and the Contributions They Can Make to the Profession

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of women in senior positions of sports coaching in the UK. The paper is based upon qualitative semi-structured interviews with national women coaches from a variety of team sports. A critical feminist standpoint is taken to illustrate how the challenges of being a woman coach and working within women’s sport can contribute to the understanding of the marginalization of women in positions of power and responsibility. This analysis is discussed in relation to the challenges and complexities women may face in attempting to coexist in elite roles at the cost of the strengths that women can bring to the profession. The powerful impact of sporting ideologies is identified as a crucial factor in maintaining coaching as a male domain. This is demonstrated through women’s limited intentions to resist and men’s significant structural control of the coaching process and profession. In addition, I highlight how the current coach education system and philosophies contribute to the absence of women from high-performance roles through neglecting women’s potential to improve elite coaching.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methodology
• Results
• Discussion and Conclusion
• References