The Female Coach/Male Athlete Relationship
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Abstract
This study was conducted with the mission of identifying the causes, effects and outcomes of female coaches and athlete relationship. The relationship between coaches and athletes is highly legalized. However, there are limits that these relationships should not cross. The relationship between coaches and their athletes should strictly be professional. This study was all about how male athletes perform if coached by a female coach. Male coaches are said to be very successful as compared to female coaches. This study wanted to clarify if this is true and what can be done to help female coaches establish themselves.
This study was detailed to find out the factors that would help female coaches gain confidence and steer the athletes to success. This study also wanted to identify the factors that suppressed female coaches in this filed as they have not been able to penetrate. The study also wanted to compare the performance of female coaches as compared to male performance. This study also wanted to identify what characters male use to gain success and help female coaches achieve this idea.
Introduction
The relationship between coaches and athletes is very important. The success of each player is dependent on the relationship between coaches and their athletes. The coach should be able to handle all matters and avoid any of their players being affected. Many of those who fail lack the composure to handle all problems. Better and enhanced relationship is the key to better performances from athletes. Trust is also another factor that a coach should exhibit. Many of the studies states that people of the same gender should be involved but various reasons despise this. This is attributed to the fact that same gender understands the feelings of each other (Hardman, & Jones, 2011).
The field of coaching is presently dominated by male coaches. This is amidst the call for gender balance and equality among many state officials and citizens. Female coaches are increasingly taking the male dominated field. Concerns over the relationship between coaches and athletes are gradually on the rise. This is literally the opposite of what is meant to be. Many of the male coaches are said to have sexual relationship with their athletes. This is one area that coaches ought and should respect. Relationship between coaches and athletes should strictly formal. This means that they should relate in respect to what they do. Any other relationship apart from the formal relationship is disregarded by the sports committee.
Female athletes have been praised by many coaches on the aspect of becoming as competitive as men. Female athletes are, however, said to be much disciplined and do not oppose as compared to men athletes. Based on the fact that men were known to have better experience in the field of sports, this is what has made it become dominated by men. Mean are known to have little respect to ladies and if they lead them, then they are adamant to follow what they say.
Female coaches have been making headlines as they have become very competitive like men. Success is what drives men, and this is the reason why they dominate the field. Men are said to be aggressive and thus can do anything to see that they achieve what they want. Coaches are supposed to be the pillar from which the athletes get their inspirations. Coaches must be very careful to ensure that they give the best knowledge to their students. Coaches should, however, be very cautious to avoid giving words or instructions that will negatively or positively affect the athletes. These two parties share a considerable amount of time. They share many experiences that are emotional and this may lead to the growth of a bond. This bond should carefully be let to grow and the coach should ensure that they do not exceed the limits. This bond is said to be very delicate between male coach and their female athlete (Sabock, Sabock, & Sabock, 2011).
Literature review
Many of the studies about this field have been conducted and they vary in their assumptions. The field of sports is very crucial and ultimate coaching is very important. Men coaches as indicated by many athletes are known to be very determined. Success is the main aspect that makes it possible for men to occupy that post. This has led to the dominance that is witnessed everywhere. This dominance is led by the fact that men coaches are said to be very aggressive. This is the aspect that has led to the lack of many female coaches in the field. Female coaches as explained by some of the athletes state that female coaches lack the aggressive nature found in men.
Men have historically dominated the athletic arena. Up until Title IX was passed in 1972, women were not even permitted to participate in athletics and organize sports teams at colleges and universities. Things have drastically improved since the implementation of Title IX, but our traditionally patriarchal society still imposes barriers. Therefore, the number of women holding prominent positions in sports, such as management positions, coaching positions, agents, and athletic directors has been miniscule compared to the number of men holding such positions. While women’s intercollegiate soccer has grown rapidly over the past three decades, men still hold nearly two-thirds of all head coaching positions in NCAA Division I women’s soccer programs.
Men coaches are said to be very punctual. This is attributed to the fact that they plan every detail that involves any opponent and comes up with notes that will be of importance in defeating a team. This also has seen men coaches take every detail of any loss or win and use it for references in the future. This is an aspect that many female coaches lack and has made them less successful as compared to men. This means that male coaches are known to expect much from each athlete and they must perform extra hard. This is an aspect that is known to lack in female coaches leading to the dominance of male coaches. This has also led to the male dominance witnessed in this field. The aspect that women from late 1970 were not allowed participation in sports, and this has also accelerated the male dominance in this field. This tradition was carried along even today and it has not been accepted that female coaches can coach (Lau, & CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV SAN DIEGO. 1992).
Even with civilization, male dominance is also experienced as they continue to coach female athletes. Women involvement in sports is becoming a practice, but it has not been taken that women should lead. The other aspect that has led to the male dominance is discrimination. Six former female coaches reported that gender discrimination, the centrality of male coaches, and rampant homophobia in U.S. collegiate coaching were reasons why they left the profession. Some of the female coaches based in US claimed that discrimination has made male dominance prevail. This has barred many of them to fulfill their dreams of coaching. Discrimination is also the problem that has made many of them quit and forget chasing their dream.
Coaches play an important role in the development of an athlete. They impact psychological, emotional and physical factors which are very important in the development of an athlete. This has led to the development of a bond which the coach has to nurture until it matures. This bond is achieved if complementarity, closeness and commitment are achieved. Closeness is defined as feelings of trust, respect, and appreciation; commitment is intentions to maintain the relationship over time, and complementarity is behaviors of cooperation like responsiveness and friendliness. This makes the coach responsible for the growth of this bond. Female coaches are said to understand the feelings of players well as compared to men coaches. Closeness is defined as feelings of trust, respect, and appreciation; commitment is intentions to maintain the relationship over time, and complementarity is behaviors of cooperation like responsiveness and friendliness.
The gender of the coach and the athlete is known to impact the degree of satisfaction with training, instruction, relationship interdependence, and sport-related achievements. Female coaches are known to be very good at assessing the emotions and feelings of an athlete. This is the aspect that makes them seem better as men coaches lack this aspect. This characteristic is exhibited when male and female work together as compared to same genders working together. Studies also indicate that if female coaches and female athletes work together, then they are interested in the training and instructions impacted. Some studies also indicate that male athletes preferred to be coached by a male coach despite the performance of a female coach (Killmer, 1993).
Experiences that female coaches get also have a great impact in the dominance of male in this field. This is in regards to the fact that female coaches find it a normal thing to coach male athletes. The personalities of the athletes also impact a great force in the dominance of male in sports field. This has, however, had criticism as they are not supported in the right manner and also are discriminated. The lack of machines and mentoring is an aspect that plays a part in the dominance of male in coaching.
Female coaches are stated by many athletes as lacking focus and are also not organized. This is an aspect that is very critical in the field of coaching. This as compared to men is very organized and they focus on success. This has led to male coaches dominating the coaching industry. Female coaches are said to lack punctuality. They are never on time and can never get the players to be prepared. Female coaches are also said to lack practice schedules making it hard and more time is taken to achieve these practices. Female coaches have been found to be more “empathically accurate” in assessing their athletes’ emotions during interpersonal interactions than male coaches. Furthermore, from the athletes’ perspective it was found that the most empathically accurate were females working with male coaches, and the least accurate were females working with female coaches
Female coaches are said to have new ideas daily. This makes it hard for athletes to digest new ideas daily proving that female coaches are incompetent. Female coaches are also said to have a habit of forgetting of some of the importance practices making them not achieve what they want. Proper records should be kept for future references that would be used in such a situation. Male coaches are said to impose harsh rules to those who break rules and regulations as compared to female coaches who are said to consider different aspects before providing a ruling. This is led by the fact that men coaches are said to be very aggressive and demand a lot from each player as compared to female coaches.
Conclusion
The relationship between female coach and male athlete is very important. Each coach has the responsibility of overseeing the bond between them grow and get to the point of professionalism. Female coaches may be very incompetent in how they handle some issues, but they are very efficient when it comes to recognizing the feelings of the athlete. This makes female coaches better as they understand each situation well. The studies conducted have indicated that female coaches need more than just understanding to make it in the coaching field. This states that male dominance in this field will still be evident as many of the athletes stated that female coaches are not competent. Many of the athletes also said that they prefer men coaches as they know what is needed from each athlete. The relationship between male athlete and female coach should be exercised with respect to dealing with feelings. Female coaches nurture a relationship better than male coaches. Female coaches are known to be very emotional and are able to deal with various issues better as compared to men. However, female coaches are not that competent to deal with athletes but should be among those who lead the athlete as they understand other things better than men do. Men are supposed to oversee that success of the team is accomplished and women are supposed to oversee that the athletes are well supported. Female coaches should, however, try to come to the level that men are so that they can become more competitive and effective. Female coaches should emulate all what men do and they should realize that success is achieved if they ask for guidance. Men coaches should also try to teach female coaches on the right ways to coach to ensure that they achieve success.
References
Hardman, A., & Jones, C. R. (2011). The ethics of sports coaching. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Killmer, K. J. (1993). The difference in coach role model behaviors for male and female athletes
Lau, P. L., & CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV SAN DIEGO. (1992). Leadership Behavior of Male and Female Coaches of Women’s Intercollegiate Softball. Ft. Belvoir: Defense Technical Information Center.
Sabock, M. D., Sabock, R. J., & Sabock, R. J. (2011). Coaching: A realistic perspective. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Tuffey, S. L. (1995). Coach perceptions of psychological characteristics and behaviors of male and female athletes and their impact on coach behaviors.
Wang, Y. T. (1996). A comparison of the coach leadership behavior preferred by male and female track and field athletes.
