Representation Matters

Hey Just Tri Tribe!

Historically, women and girls have been underrepresented in all areas of sports. I was recently asked, “Who was my role model as a young girl?” Honestly, I struggled to think of anyone at first because professional females in sports were scarce 25 years ago. I grew up with a lot of supportive male figures encouraging me within sport, namely my father, older brother and my male sport coaches. It wasn’t even until middle school when I had my first female physical education teacher and then high school when I had my first female sport coach. Also, there wasn’t an establish women’s professional soccer league in the United States at the time and because of this playing professional soccer was never a long-term goal of mine. As I consider all of this in retrospect, I begin to realize how much representation, in all areas of life, matters.

Ever since Title IX was passed in 1972, female athletes have been afforded equal opportunities in federally funded athletic programs across the country. Female participation in sports has increased 900% since the passage of Title IX. While Title IX has opened many doors for female athletes and allowed women to make massive strides in sports over the past 50 years, the gender gap still exists.

Physical activity and playing sports both have the power to change young girls’ lives. Beyond the health benefits, youth sports provide opportunities for girls to build social skills, discipline, leadership skills, teamwork, self-reliance, resilience, etc. And yet, girls who play sports are still subject to gender stereotypes and archaic social norms often being considered masculine and labeled “tomboys”. Sports should boost confidence and self-esteem, but our society struggles to completely manifest that for female athletes. Regardless of all the generational equality initiatives, gender inequality in sport still exists because of the lack of participation, women in leadership positions, and media coverage bias.

Why Representation Matters?

Representation allows girls to see themselves reflected in the coaches and leaders that surround them in sports – and then imagine bigger and bolder dreams for themselves. When a girl sees a woman in a leadership position, she can associate with and embody that. Their lived experiences shape how they will lead in the future. Representation matters because it fuels the success of our future females.

Why Do Women Coaches and Leaders Matter?

Here are 7 evidence-based reasons why women in sport leadership positions matter.

1. Sport is considered one of the most visible and powerful social institutions around the world. When someone is promoted to a head coach, his or her status changes. In the world of sports, a head coach is important, relevant, and valued.
2. Female role models are necessary for girls and young women. Being able to relate with shared experiences promotes emulation, aspiration, self-esteem, and valuation of abilities. Many girls will grow up never having a female coach, while 100% of their male peers would have had a male coach at some point during their youth development.
3. When women are viewed as competent leaders, by boys and men, then they are more likely to respect women, see women as equal colleagues, friends, and then women are less likely to sexually objectified.
4. Girls coached by female coaches are more likely to go into and stay in coaching because they will see coaching as a legitimate and viable career.
5. Research shows that sport organizations with more female coaches on staff are more likely to have different perspectives when making decisions, which is positive for any workplace.
6. When navigating a male-dominated field, female coaches need to see and interact with other female coaches for friendship, networking, support, career advice, mentorship, and counseling.
7. Research has shown that when females make up less than 24% of a coaching staff or the overall workplace, females are subject to detrimental mental and physical health outcomes. In these situations (where women are the minority), females will experience alienation, feel highly visible and subject to scrutiny, pressure to perform to gain credibility, pressure to conform to organizational norms and endure increased risk for gender discrimination (i.e. sexual harassment), wage inequities, and limited opportunities for promotion. Ultimately leading to burnout and leaving the profession.

In summary, female coaches and women in leadership positions in sport matter. We must actively support these female coaches so they are afforded similar opportunities as their male peers. Female coaches are capable and competent when they’re confident. We need to do and be better for the sake of our future female leaders.

Thank you for reading my blog!

Have a great week, get some movement in, and as always, Just Tri!!

Yours in Sport,

Lindsay

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