Programs
Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching
The Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching provides timely, accurate, targeted information to aid in creating a healthier and more positive environment for women coaches – in Canada and around the world.
April 2012, Vol. 12, No. 2
Perceived Barriers to Achieving Gender Equity in Canadian Interuniversity Sport: Perspectives of Athletic Directors
By Gretchen Kerr and Beth Ali
It is generally acknowledged that the diminishing numbers of female coaches is a worrisome trend. One factor is particularly alarming. Gender equity policies, despite being in place at Canadian institutions of higher learning, are failing to stop the decline because qualified females coaches are not applying when positions become available. Turning to a cross-section of Canada’s athletic directors, authors Gretchen Kerr and Beth Ali have unearthed several valuable suggestions that, if implemented, could begin to reverse the situation. In particular, their call for integration of coach development across the spectrum of Canadian sport should arouse the interest of all coach educators. — Sheila Robertson
The views expressed in the articles of the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching are those of the authors and do not reflect the policies of the Coaching Association of Canada.
-
NEXT ISSUE>>>
Women Coaches as Coaching Education Course Facilitators by Bettina Callary
-
ABOUT THE JOURNAL>>>
In recent years, as the participation of girls and women in sport in Canada has skyrocketed, barriers have tumbled and opportunities have proliferated. Women are now found in every aspect of sport, from the playing fields to the boardrooms, as administrators and officials, at the grassroots level through to high performance.
While coaching, too, has been affected by this explosion, women who choose to coach continue to face serious challenges, generally as a result of programs that, when designed, did not consider their unique needs. Other barriers include a lack of mentoring, the failure of sport organizations to spotlight female role models, mis-communication, and a lack of access to information that is critical to professional success.
To address these challenges, in September 2000, the Women in Coaching program of the Coaching Association of Canada introduced The Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching. The premise of the Journal is that timely, accurate, targeted information goes a long way towards creating a healthier and more positive environment for women coaches, in Canada and around the world. During the research phase, a worldwide search turned up little information that is specific to the situation of the woman coach. One dominant concern is family life. Other pressing issues focus on negotiating equitable compensation and satisfactory contracts, breaking into the high performance echelon, establishing personal behaviour guidelines, understanding employee and employer rights, and working effectively with a board of directors.
As well as tackling pertinent issues, the Journal goes one step further by providing practical, hands-on, and proactive suggestions and solutions that inform coaches, their employers, the parents of their athletes, and their clubs and associations. Above all, the Journal is designed to make sure that readers will develop an understanding of the unique challenges women coaches face.
If, through the Journal, the challenges faced by women coaches are "put on the table" and workable solutions are offered, an important step will have been taken towards breaching the formidable barriers to getting ahead.
-
PAST ISSUES (Currently being updated)
-
Journal Personnel>>>
Publisher: Sheilagh Croxon, Consultant, Women in Coaching program, Coaching Association of Canada
Editor: Sheila Robertson
Editorial Board: Guylaine Demers, Sheilagh Croxon, Gretchen Kerr, Dru Marshall, Rose Mercier, Sheila Robertson, Penny Werthner
Copy Editors: Julie Parkins-Forget, Lucie LeBel
Translator: MATRA • gs Inc.
As a new coach, what information would you find most useful?
