Representation and Participation of Women in Coaching
Women remain underrepresented in coaching, particularly in high-performance and male-dominated sports. Research indicates that increasing visibility and participation of women in coaching requires proactive outreach, role modelling, and the removal of structural barriers (Norman, 2010; Clarkson et al., 2020).
Strategies include:
- Setting institutional targets for gender balance in enrolment and hiring.
- Actively recruiting women into coaching programs.
- Creating pathways from athlete to coach for women.
- Including women in teaching, mentorship, and governance roles.
Ensuring diverse role models among trainers and mentors is key to challenging the perception that coaching is a male domain (Lockwood, 2006).
