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Tucker Center Nonprofit Org. University of Minnesota U.S. Postage 1900 University Avenue SE • 203 Cooke Hall PAID Minneapolis, MN 55455 Minneapolis, MN F Permit No. 155 O R R E S E A R C H O N G I R L S & W O M E N I N Tucker Center S P O R T for Research on Girls & Women in Sport SPRING 2009 WANTED! Letter from Female Coaches the Director Twenty-five years ago I at All Levels of Sport published an article about the Despite the explosion of Data from the Minnesota high rate of attrition among female sport participants in State High School Coaches youth sport coaches. Two unintended results emanated the post-Title IX era, there Association 2007-08 season from this research—85% has been a significant decline show similar trends at the of coaches were parents of in the percentage of women interscholastic level—only 17% one or more of their players, who coach these athletes. The of all teams (boys’ and girls’) and the parent doing the scarcity of female coaches at are coached by females. Broken coaching was always the the professional, Olympic, down by gender, just 38% of father. Unfortunately, today’s intercollegiate, interscholastic, all girls’ teams are coached by landscape of coaching Dr. Maureen Weiss and youth levels is well females and they are virtually youth sports has not changed documented. A brief summary absent as coaches of boys’ teams appreciably. In recreational and competitive youth programs of the “state of the playing field” where they represent only 2.2% all over America, fathers and other male role models still dominate leadership positions. is outlined below along with of all head coaching positions. Title IX provided tremendous opportunities for girls. In a number of reasons why the Perhaps not surprisingly, the 1972, only 1 in 27 girls played high school sports; today the dramatic decline of female head highest percentage of female ratio is 1 in 2.5. Such increased participation created more coaches is of such concern. head coaches represented in coaching opportunities—so why are so few females coaching With respect to Olympic girls’ high school athletics young people? Understanding why a phenomenon exists helps sports, the International Olympic was in sports historically us formulate how to effect change for the greater good—in Committee (IOC) recognized the deemed “appropriate” for this case, positive sport experiences for girls and boys. need for female representation girls: Synchronized swimming Some reasons for the low percentage of female coaches at both the international (100%), volleyball (70.1%), and are sociological. For example, the greater value placed on and national level. In 2005, gymnastics (69%). women’s sports made coaching more appealing to men. And in spite of social progress in the wake of Title IX, the IOC mandated that a Less is known about some stereotypes die hard—research indicates that athletic minimum of 20% of all National gendered patterns in coaches administrators and athletes perceive that female coaches Olympic Committee decision- of youth sport. However, sport are less qualified than males. Psychological reasons include www.tuckercenter.org making positions—including scholar Mike Messner, our women expressing less confidence and competence to coach coaches—be held by women. Spring Distinguished Lecturer even when their training and leadership qualities suggest Unfortunately, current data are (see back panel for lecture otherwise. not available to ascertain if the details as well as Messner’s Whatever the reasons, female coaches are important National Governing Bodies are Guest Column on page 2), and for children and adolescents. Research shows that women NATIONWIDE, in compliance with the IOC Nicole LaVoi each completed possess the instrumental and expressive skills to be excellent mandate. separate studies examining youth coaches, place emphasis on teaching life skills, and know how to nurture values that transcend sport to other domains. Girls ONLY 21% OF We have better data at the soccer and discovered similar and boys have much to learn and benefit from having their ALL MEN’S intercollegiate level because results. Messner’s data from mothers teach and reinforce skills and qualities that sport has for over three decades, Vivian a Southern California youth the potential to foster. AND WOMEN’S Acosta and Linda Carpenter have sport community revealed that So how can we make a difference in recruiting women to documented the employment a small but increasing number coach? School-based and community educational workshops TEAMS ARE patterns of women in leadership of females (13%) served as head have proven successful in motivating and training women to positions. Their 2008 report coaches in the American Youth coach. Efforts are needed through professional conferences, COACHED BY indicates that nationwide, just Soccer Organization (AYSO). coaching associations, and leadership networks to develop 21% of all men’s and women’s LaVoi found a similar rate (15%) curricula and strategies that increase the number of female coaches at all levels. teams are coached by females, of female head coaches within FEMALES. The scarcity of women coaches is a complex matter that and only 43% of head coaches the Minnesota Youth Soccer requires community, school, and personal efforts to reverse for women’s teams are female. Association, although they were the situation. The first step is awareness—the intent of this This latter figure reflects how more likely to coach girls’ teams newsletter. The next step is action—we are all responsible for dramatic the decline of female (24%) than boys’ (5%). LaVoi ensuring that female role models are elevated to their rightful coaches has been: Prior to Title also found that as children place on the courts, fields, and other sport venues across the IX, over 90% of all head coaching mature and reach higher country. positions in women’s sports were competitive levels—when sport —Maureen Weiss, Co-Director occupied by females. “starts to get serious”—female “Wanted!” continued on page 3 page 2 GUest COLUmn: MICHael A. MessneR ReseaRCH UPdates “You Gotta Be Tough”: Challenges and Strategies The Tucker Center has a number of exciting research projects underway. Research Assistant of Female Coaches in Youth Sports Austin Stair Calhoun, Tucker Center Associate and aggressive, It is very important to Director Nicole LaVoi, and Tucker Center Director you’re not taken increase the numbers of female Mary Jo Kane are examining online coaching seriously; if you coaches in youth sports. Why biographies of NCAA Division I coaches in the Big are overly so, does it matter? Because what 10 Conference in their research project, “Examining you are labeled a adults do in youth sports is linked Online Intercollegiate Head Coaches’ Biographies: bitch. Clearly, the to gender divisions of labor in Reproducing or Challenging Heteronormativity and most successful other realms; an “unfinished Heterosexism?” The purpose of this pilot study is gender strategies feminist revolution” in work and to explore ways in which female coaches might be are group ones. family life is further reinforced by marginalized and trivialized in new media—patterns In AYSO, I found such a skewed male dominance the beginnings in youth sports. It also matters of representation well-documented in other forms of of what one because, as preparation for print and broadcast journalism. Online biographies woman called the world they will inhabit as are a universal component of intercollegiate athletic (with an ironic adults, boys need to see and Web sites and provide the public with an accessible chuckle) an “old experience the full range of “up close and personal” source of information about girls’ network” women’s leadership skills and coaches and teams. Results of the study were presented to recruit and physical abilities. And it matters Mike Messner and his son Sasha at the Sport, Sexuality, and Culture Conference held at support more because women coaches can be an Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, this March and highlighted When we arrived at our female coaches. inspiration to today’s girls, giving how online biographies of coaches both challenge and six-year-old son’s first soccer In Little League Baseball and them a vision of what they can reproduce gender stereotypes in college sports. practice in 1995, I was delighted Softball, the number of women do when they become adults. As Research assistant Erin Becker is exploring to learn that his coach was a is still too low for this kind of one coach told the girls on her gendered occupational employment patterns within woman. Coach Karen was tall, women’s network to develop. softball team, “Someday, most of Baseball (and by extension, you girls are going to be moms. a state-wide youth soccer organization. Research on confident and athletic, and softball) still “belongs” to men, You don’t want to just let Dad do intercollegiate and interscholastic sport indicates that the kids responded well to her leadership. “Great, a woman leaving female coaches as isolated all that stuff. Not when you’ve got when males occupy positions of power (e.g., as head tokens. In sum, a successful this kind of experience. You want coach, AD), they are more likely to hire individuals like coach!” I observed cheerily. “It’s a new and different world than strategy is one that results in a to do it too.” themselves, meaning other males. Becker’s project— the one that I grew up in.” But critical mass. “Examining Gender in a Youth Soccer Organization: over the next 12 years, as both of Homologous Reproduction and Marginalization of my sons played several seasons DID YOU KNOW? Female Youth Soccer Coaches”—examines whether in the American Youth Soccer similar patterns of gendered hiring practices also exist Organization (AYSO), as well Female COllegIate Basketball in youth sport by asking such questions as, are male as Little League baseball, they COacHes GOT Game! or female Coaching Directors more likely to hire male never had another female head This February, University of Tennessee’s Pat Summitt coaches? A second purpose of Becker’s project is to coach.

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