Taking the Lead: Strategies and Solutions from Female Coaches

by Sheila Robertson (Editor), Dru Marshall (Introduction)

Overview

In an extensive and frank exploration, leaders in women's coaching discuss the values women bring to the coaching profession, their quest for equal access, ways career aspirations and motherhood are juggled, how to negotiate contracts, and encounters with homophobia, harassment, and bullying. They also identify the challenges to progress and highlight the essential changes that need to be made. This volume will be of interest to sports organizations, leaders, and educators; athletes and parents; researchers in sports and gender studies; and politicians and policy makers. Women in leadership roles in business, public service, education, and their communities will find the wisdom contained in Taking the Lead readily transferable to their respective arenas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780888645869
Publisher:	The University of Alberta Press
Publication date:	09/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Sheila Robertson has been an award-winning writer and editor with Canada's sport community for over thirty years. She was the founding editor of three sports magazines, has worked in Team Canada communications at three Olympic Games, and been a delegate at international sports conferences. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, Sheila Robertson lives in Manotick, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Message from the Coaching Association of Canada vii

Message from the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity ix

Preface Sheila Robertson xi

Introduction Dru Marshall xv

Part 1 Issues

1 The Perils and Pleasures of Coaching and Motherhood Sheila Robertson 3

2 Changing the Androcentric World of Sport: Is it Possible? Penny Werthner Diane Culver Rose Mercier 37

3 Female Coaches' Experience of Harassment and Bullying Gretchen Kerr 57

4 Homophobia in Sport: Fact of Life, Taboo Subject Guylaine Demers 73

Part 2 Skills

5 Communicating with Clarity: Guidelines to Help Female Coaches Succeed Penny Werthner Shaunna Taylor 101

6 Understanding Mentoring as a Development Tool for Female Coaches Dru Marshall Dawn-Marie Sharp 117

7 Political Advocacy in Coaching: Why Engage? Rose Mercier Dru Marshall 147

Part 3 Advice

8 Coaching as a Viable Career Path for Women Penny Werthner Bettina Callary 167

9 Developing the Next Generation of Female Coaches Dru Marshall Guylaine Demers Dawn-Marie Sharp 181

10 The Business of Greatness Rose Mercier 203

11 Contracts and Contract Negotiations Hilary Findlay 217

Afterword Dru Marshall 243

Appendix 1 A Five-Point Collaborative Strategy for Change 245

Appendix 2 Provincial and National Coaching Associations 255

Appendix 3 A Decade of Articles from the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching 259

Contributors 265

Index 271

Editorial Reviews

"While the participation levels of girls and women in Canadian sport are steadily rising, there is a dearth of women coaches at all levels.... The issues covered, skills provided, and advice given in this book should be read by swim-club, provincial, and national-level board members, as well as swimmers, parents, and, most importantly, swim coaches across Canada. It is time for our sport to face the challenges preventing women's entry into swim coaching, and find solutions to get them and keep them on pool decks across Canada." SwimNews, May-June 2010
"Practical as well as provocative, the book urges sports leaders and administrators to re-examine the unique challenges that female coaches face and to reimagine the sports landscape with improved opportunities for women coaches." David Davis, SportsLetter, August 23, 2010
"For sports organizations, leaders and educators, athletes, parents, researchers, politicians, and policy makers, Robertson, a writer and editor in Canada's sports community, brings together 11 revised and updated articles drawn from the Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching, in which physical education and sport scholars from Canada discuss challenges female coaches face, suggestions and solutions to these challenges and other issues, ways to create a more positive environment in Canada and around the world, and how to encourage more women to become coaches. Topics include coaching and motherhood, harassment and bullying, homophobia, communication skills, mentoring, political advocacy, coaching as a career path, and contracts and negotiations." Reference and Research Book News, August 2010
"...interesting sections include anecdotes from active high-level coaches in fields from wrestling to swimming..." Carrie Villeneuve, Geist, Summer 2010

From the Publisher