Internationalcommunitycoach Education Systems

InternationalcommunityCoach Education Systems

Webinar

ICES Webinar 6 Chat Room Text – 4 October 2011

‘Why are all my coaches men?’: Engaging, education and empowering female community coaches.

The following dialogue was captured during the International community Coach Education System Network Webinar held on 4 October 2011, at the UK Sport Head Office, London. The Webinar involved45participants involved with the ICES initiative.

The key focus of the webinar was to discuss women in coaching positions within sport and how to increase this number.

Priya presented some slides to provide thought around different areas surrounding women in sport.

Key note speakers:

Comments and questions were made in response to presentations made by the following key note speakers:

First speaker:

Sarah Murrey, Learn Director of Women Win. Email address:

Sarah will highlight barriers women face in becoming coaches and leaders in sport, using examples of good practice to provide advice around organisational values and approaches that support engage, educate and empower women as coaches and leaders.

Questions and comments from the audience

Rex Stevens: Excellent presentation Sarah - can you please repeat the 'agnar' link/programme title, thanks

Sarah Murray: a ganar - partners of the Americas. Inter american development bank

Daniel-SportandDev: I thought it was really interesting when you mentioned the impact that female coaches can have on adolescent males, which I feel is really important. Do you have any examples of projects or organisations working in this area?

Ollie: Sarah what is your take on 'measures' for example percentage numbers of coaches, board members etc. Should agencies through to policy makers set targets?

anita navin: the funder website would be good to have - thanks

Sainimili.Talatoka: For sarah - would be interested to know of successful strategies in retaining female coaches/leaders

Sarah Murray: GirlSportGuides.org for more information on designing sport programmes for girls

Second Speaker:

Narin Hajitas, Jordon Olympic Committee. Email address:

Presenting to us a case study of the ‘Jordan Olympic Committees National Coach Certification Programme’, Narin will focus on how the Olympic Committee is working to involve more women as both coaches and facilitators.

Questions and comments from the audience

Rex Stevens: Narin interesting to hear you say females respond better to male coaches. Would girls be used to female teachers delivering sports activities in school?
Sarah Murray: Also curious about that. In U.S. research actually shows that girls who have never been coached by women are less likely to believe men and women possess equal coaching ability, however, when they have experience with female coaches, that changes completely

Narin: through my 8 years of experience in coaching deferent levels of athletes, University, school, Club, and National team it was interesting for me to face the challenge of girls not excepting me as coach in the beginning, I think the culture, image of male coach over the past years is in their minds, and man charechtarestics of leader, stronger, protector etc played great role in attracting girls to find male coach is more reliable. I think that in Jordan we need to have a study or research on this issue to have solid answers and to help us on our planning for more involvements of women in coaching.

Paul Zulu EduSport: Under EduSport Go sisters/girls empowerment programme, we have almost reached 50:50 participation of our sport programme. I meant the ratio of boys to girls is 50:50

Vivek Ramchandani: Narin, have there been any instances of women coaches coaching boys or is that culturally unacceptable?

Narin: We have no problem culturally in this issue, we are still working on to part of educating women in coaching to help built their confident, knowledge and self steam, though we do experience women coaching boys in young ages and specially at school level and little leagues, and mostly in popular sports like basketball, football, taekwondo, swimming.

Nange: Has religion affected either positively or negatively to this?

Narin: religion effect is positive, if we are talking about female to female coaching; as it is known to all that in our religion it is more expectable for females to be involved with females wither it was teachers, doctors, coaches, etc.

Cocky van Dam: Is there a difference between the different sports? e.g are female handball coaches more accepted than female football or boxing coaches?

Narin: yes there is deferent in sports that are more considered as masculine sports like body building and wrestling, women coaches in football is high participation as football is one of the most popular sports in Jordan and the women national team in Jordan is one of the leading teams in the Arabic countries, and I can say at this point that the support and founds that FIFA have allocated to empower women football all over the world had played a great role in the development of women football in Jordan and many other countries, I hope that other national sports federations will follow the steps of FIFA in empowering women.

Paul Zulu EduSport: Under EduSport Go Sisters, female leaders have been developed such that they coach boys teams in school as well as in community teams. At first thought it was different and difficult for girls to coach because of some cultural norm in Zambia. We do not only ask them to participate in sport but we provide them with basic education and economic empowerment these aspects help to retain the girls

Expert Panel discussion:

Discussion and comments around the theme ‘women in sport, past, present and future’ were provided by expert panellists:

Amanda Bennett, Acting Head of Governance UK Sport and England U20 Women’s Rugby Coach
Bukiwe Candy Luzipho, Bread for Life, Langa coach and facilitator

Questions and comments from the audience

Dedan: @Paul how do you retain the female coaches!

Sarah Murray: You first have to identify what the greatest threat is to losing coaches. It’s key to customize your strategy, based on your situation. For example:
1. if they are being lost to pregnancy, allow women to bring children to practice.
2. For younger girls, parent engagement strategies are critical, as girls are often discouraged from attending because of home duties, home visits, parent days, community engagement

3. If female coaches are leaving because of financial reasons, can you increase their pay?

4. If they are being recruited by other organizations to coach, what do those organizations have that you aren’t offering. Is it climate? Money? Reputation? Are you providing ample growth opportunities?

Paul Zulu EduSport: We also involve their parents and guardians in the programming, so that they also know what their children learn at the sport arena

Cocky van Dam: Also sport is an activity for young people. Girls in Kilifi who finish primary school and are not continuing with their education marry, become young mothers and often stop doing sports

Dedan: what about retention on volunteer programs!

Paul Zulu EduSport: In Africa, retention is quite difficult becauseof economic and social factors. Most girls they choose to do activities that give them immediate financialbenefits. These aspects have also contribute to HIV/AIDS increase and early pregnancies which disrupt their coaching careers

Nange: In my experience, I understand that many female athletes will prefer to be coached by a male coach which may be as a result of undermining the ability of female coaches or not understanding the abilities based on the past history of women not being involved in coaching. How do you encourage, motivate and support the trained coaches to overcome both set cultural and religious norms and perceptions.

Daniel-SportandDev: I read some research, which indicated that sporting activity can in some circumstances create masculine establishing discourse, particularly among coaches. If this is true, is there anyone with any experience of this and or strategies for coping?

Daniel-SportandDev: I guess my question in a nutshell is that, do women have to take on "typical men stereotypes" to deliver coaching or is there another "identity" that emerges?

Paul Zulu EduSport: Course that are aimed at motivating thegirls, build self confidence and assertiveness are important if they are to be appreciated by both boys and girls. Daniel I think women need to gain self confidence for them to be able to coach male folks

Cocky van Dam: If girls or women don't have other examples as coaches than male coaches they could copy men's coaching styles, I guess. My experience in moving the Goalposts is that they find their own way. Or perhaps copy other female coaches' styles? I don't know. Just thinking.

Daniel-SportandDev: I guess the motivation from personal experience comes from partaking in sport, when I hear people say "be a man" after a rough challenge. To me this would represent a challenge for both male and female coaches. Does anyone have any experience of this, and if so is it challenged?

Vivek Ramchandani: I think it is important to distinguish between community sport coaches or school/little league coaches as against elite sport coaches. The former require human relations skills, some understanding of child development and the capacity to make sports fun. The latter - elite sport coaches - must demonstrate sporting and coaching competence.

Rex Stevens: Coaching is ultimately about the effective relationship between coach and performer and coach education, particularly at grassroots level needs to reflect this.

Vivek Ramchandani: Thanks everyone - a very important discussion

Nange: Thank you to the panellist and presenters

Narin HajTass: Thank you all,,, from Jordan

Koyes Choudhury: Thank you everyone for you input. I look forward to speaking or meeting you soon. Priya.