Thanks, Dad, for letting me share your blog. I don’t expect your following right out of the gate, but maybe in time. – Missy
My step-daughter, Leigh, sent me a link to an interesting New York Times article presenting an interesting statistical fact: since Title IX in 1972, the percentage of female coaches of women’s collegiate sports teams has stagnated – after several decades of decline. The article seems to imply that this is surprising. The article states that this is concerning. I’m not sure I agree with either sentiment.
Before I go on, I have a few disclaimers to make.
1) I’m a feminist. The simplest and clearest definition of “feminist” (per Webster – who can argue with Webster?) is: “the belief that women and men should have equal rights and opportunities”. Everyone, male or female, should be a feminist. Let’s all agree to agree on this.
2) I’m in favor of anything and everything that furthers the advancement and/or improvement of women’s collegiate athletic programs. I was a Division I college athlete (albeit a very mediocre one). So I have some experience I can leverage while I express my opinions on this topic.
Back to the article.
The premise of the article: In 1972, 90 percent of women’s collegiate teams were coached by women. Today, that number is 40 percent. With very little supporting data, the article goes on to cite several possible reasons for the declining female representation: sexism, a “male-mindset” when hiring, increasing demands of the coaching job and gender bias. It seems to delve the most into the “demands of the job” obstacle. The article quotes a big-time, successful female coach claiming that work-life balance is “a bigger issue for women than it is for men”. The article introduces another female who accepted her current data analytics position for a women’s basketball program (I would love this job, by the way) partially because “she did not have to travel or recruit during the season”. It seems to me that the article complains about women not getting big-time college coaching positions, while at the same time acknowledges that those same women are not willing or able to put in the hours that is takes to succeed as that big-time coach.
WAIT! Don’t stop reading! Let me remind you:
1) I’m a feminist!!
2) I’m in favor of anything and everything that furthers the advancement and/or improvement of women’s collegiate athletic programs!!
While I sure wish there were more women coaching at the collegiate level (what a great example for our young female athletes!), I absolutely don’t want the demands of the coaching profession compromised in any way to “attract more women”. I sure hope this isn’t what they are suggesting. Nor do I want a candidate awarded a job if he or she is not the absolute best candidate for that job, regardless of gender. The co-director of a prestigious research center for girls in sport claims that her “biggest concern is that young women are not getting… a female coaching role model” and that this is “detrimental to development”. I was a young female collegiate athlete. Do you know what I found detrimental? Having a female college softball coach who didn’t know how to properly set up a cut-off line from the outfield when there were runners on base. Or a coach who didn’t know the criticality of advancing the runner with a sacrifice when you’re down by 2 in the 5th.
Here’s the thing. I need more data. This article needs more data. (We all need more data.) If you tell me that for every qualified male applying for a college coaching job, there is an equally qualified female applying for that same job – I’m going to raise some serious hell and scream sexism. But I’m willing to bet that is not the case – for several and many reasons (see work-life balance dilemma above). The article even provides one example of a 7:3 statistical ratio of male applicants to female applicants for a specific (assistant) coaching job. Again, since it’s not given to me in this article, I have to go get the data myself, but I expect that ratio is even higher for head coaching jobs.
All that said, I think the article shies away from an important point. Title IX (combined with societal evolution) has done wonders for female athletes. It has increased the “legitimacy” of female athletes and women’s athletic programs. It’s made coaching women a highly sought-after position, not a consolation prize for the coach who isn’t good enough to coach men. Are there still sexist jerks and is the athletic field still male dominated? Yes. But are women’s programs now hardcore and are female athletes bad-ass? Absolutely. I say we keep trending in that direction and get those bad-ass female athletes the best damn coaches we can. And yes, I sure hope more women start throwing their hats in the ring.
Because I’m a feminist.
article referenced: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/sports/ncaabasketball/coaches-women-title-ix.html