Speakers
Description
The underrepresentation of women coaches worldwide is a significant issue facing sport. While research shows women coaches bring many benefits to the sport environment, significant barriers preclude women from coaching, including gender role assumptions, experiences of harassment, a male dominated environment, competing domestic responsibilities, low pay or an unclear career pathway, lack of self-efficacy, and a lack of programs designed to mentor and develop women coaches (LaVoi & Dutove, 2012; Kerr & Banwell, 2016; Norman, 2013). To address these barriers and increase the number of women in coaching, a Canadian community soccer club implemented a three-year pilot program designed to provide strategic supports, including, organization-funded coach training, a social support network, and free childcare to encourage girls and women to participate and develop as coaches. A mixed-methods evaluation included 43 participants for the pre-participation survey (42 identified as women, 1 identified as nonbinary), 16-48 years of age, 17 of whom participated in focus groups, and 17 of whom completed the post-participation survey to assess the effectiveness of the program, the perceived outcomes of participation, and recommendations for improving the program. Results demonstrated the program is successful in recruiting and developing women coaches by alleviating key barriers through the provision of informational (e.g., communication with participants), emotional (e.g., community through participation), and instrumental (e.g., financial and childcare) supports. This presentation will discuss successes in program design and delivery, the perceived impacts of participation, and the importance of this program for advancing women and girls in sport.
