This factsheet is one of a series, produced bysports coach UK and the Women’s Sport andFitness Foundation (WSFF), aimed at coacheswho coach women or who are interested incoaching them in the future. Each factsheetprovides insight into the female athlete and herneeds, and guidance as to how better to coachand support her.

Although the information contained within this factsheethas been academically evidenced, sports coach UKrecognises that it is a generalisation. All people areindividuals and it is for you, the coach, to contextualise thefollowing information to your own coaching environment.

There is evidence to suggest coaching is still delivered in away that assumes gender neutrality; ie female and maleparticipants being coached as though their needs are thesame. However, very little research exists that describes thefemale athlete experience and examines whether her needsreally are the same as those of a male athlete.

To better understand the female experience, in early 2010,sports coach UK and the Women’s Sport and FitnessFoundation (WSFF) spoke with a number of femaleathletes* about their current coaching experiences andwhat they wanted from a coach. From these discussions, wehave highlighted the elements that constitute good coachingexperiences and the attributes of a great coach.

What to consider when coachingfemale athletes

Get to know the individualAs might be expected, athletes have different views onwhat they want from their coach and how they want to betreated; no two people are ever the same. As such, one ofthe key requests by female athletes is for the coach to getto know them as individuals. This includes understandingtheir personalities, what motivates them in their lives and insport, what their goals are, and which methods will bringout the best in them. This is not to say that all the athletesinterviewed wanted their coach to be their friend, but theyneeded the coach to understand the type of relationshipthey did want.

The female athletes also wanted their coaches toappreciate that they have lives outside their sport, whichthey have to juggle with their training. The athletes wespoke to acknowledged they sometimes brought theirproblems into training, as some said they found it hard to‘switch off ’.

Your communication style and approachabilityLinked very closely with understanding the individual andher motivations, is how you communicate with yourathlete, the frequency at which you meet with her andyour coaching style.

Presently, female athletes experience a variety of coachingstyles ranging from autocratic and distant toapproachable, jokey and easy-going. People will respondto different styles, depending entirely on their ownpersonalities and what motivates them. The femaleathletes we spoke to wanted to feel like they could talkto their coach about anything. They acknowledged thatthey often wanted to know ‘why’ more than male athletesand demanded more discussion.

Coaching Women

Coaching Female High-Performance Athletes

Sometimes she will bring me offand she will shout her head off atme and there’s loads of peoplewatching…that makes me feel abit insecure…she doesn’t do thatto older players.

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Think:Every athlete is unique. Understand thechallenges they face in balancing being anathlete with the other demands in their lives.

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Think:Get to know the individual athlete and whatshe wants from you. Develop a personalisedcommunication style with her.

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* Background to the research

This research was carried out with 27 female high-performance athletes and basketball players aged 18–28. As such, the findings relate to a specific group of athletes at a particular point in their training careers.We do not assume that all female athletes being coached will have the same expectations and needs, but we believe the attributes mentioned and key concerns discussed will be relevant to most coaches.

Throughout this factsheet, the term ‘athlete’ is used to refer to all female sportswomen, not just those taking part in athletics.

Constructive and positive feedbackRegardless of the coach’s style, athletes want their coach to provide them with personalised feedback. If the athlete does something wrong, she wants to correctit based on her coach’s observations. Female athletesdon’t want constant praise, but they do want to hear itwhen it is well deserved. Well-placed praise boostsmotivation and confidence among female athletes.

Support the person: the coach as a mentorFor many athletes (particularly younger athletes), thecoach can play a significant role in their lives, both in andout of sport. Some athletes talk of being taken to trainingor helped to find somewhere to live and work. Supportlike this can be invaluable for many athletes and enablethem to continue to take part in their sport. Many femaleathletes say their ideal coach would also be a mentor,someone they could go to when they had problems andprovide guidance in their lives.

Commit to the athlete and her goalsFemale athletes want to believe their coach is committedto them and believe they have what it takes to improveand develop. For some athletes there will be times in theirsporting careers when they experience self-doubt and loseconfidence, so they will look to their coach for support.Athletes want to know their coach sees their potential andhas high, yet achievable, expectations of them.

Approach coaching as a joint endeavourSome athletes described their coach’s style as autocratic(‘my way or no way’), which can prove frustrating. As acoach, you should never underestimate the power youhave in the eyes of your athlete.

Female athletes respect a coach who is in control and leads the team and the training, but this should be balanced with flexibility and some negotiation with the athletes themselves. This is because female high-performance athletes are at a level in their sportwhere they have developed considerable knowledge andare aware of their bodies’ limitations and strengths. Assuch, they want to feel as though the coach will listen totheir ideas and suggestions and contribute towards theirtraining and development.

The training sessionElite athletes are at a level in their sport where theyexpect to train hard, but still want it to be enjoyable andvaried. In addition, they want to know everyone in thetraining group is working hard and taking it seriously.Sessions should be well organised and tailored to theircurrent training needs. A good coach will vary the trainingexercises and environment, and take charge by ensuringeveryone is pulling their weight and the sessions have a purpose.

Coaching Women

Coaching Female High-Performance Athletes

But she doesn’t just coachbasketball, she helps us withproblems outside of the court…she’ll help us with jobapplications…you know, pushingus in the right direction if weneed help.

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Think:Keep lines of communication open andprovide regular feedback, both positive and constructive.

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Think:Vocalise your commitment and belief in yourathlete. She wants to be supported as aperson and a player.

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Think:Listen to your female athletes and ensureyou are involving them in decisions that affecttheir training and performance. Always keeplines of communication open.

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Think:Make training sessions varied, fun, structured,challenging and tailored.

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It's very rare we get the samesession twice. They like to mix it up.They like to make sure that weenjoy ourselves…they tell us it’sgoing to be hard but, at the sametime, we want you to enjoy it.

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Balance the needs of the team and the individual

Team sports

Tensions may arise within the team for a number ofreasons. For example:

• players may feel that certain teammates are gettingpreferential treatment

• some teammates may not be pulling their weight

• an individual might be seen as being treatedcomparatively harshly

• the quality of skills within a team could be diverse andindividual players may feel there are hierarchies or thatthe coach has favourites.

Coaches need to be aware of these potential divisionsand tensions as they can affect the cohesion of the team.A good coach will make sure each player receives thelevel of support she needs. Be aware that an athlete mayrequire an explanation as to why she is being treateddifferently to another player.

Each individual will have different motivations and goals;the coach needs to be able to manage all of these andget the team to work towards one goal.

Individual sports

Even within individual sports, athletes will often train withother athletes – sometimes their competitors. This canpotentially lead to tension. A good coach willacknowledge this and ensure all athletes feel as thoughthey are receiving personal treatment.

Coaching Women

Coaching Female High-Performance Athletes

I think the coach needs to makesure that we’re there for that goaland he has the same expectation ofpeople. Half our team weren’t reallythere for the basketball, they werethere more for socialising.

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Think:Understand that the needs and goals of theteam and the individuals may be different.This will help you identify potential conflictbefore it occurs.

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I remember one session where hehad a favourite girl in the groupbecause she was reallysuccessful… it was kind of a littlebit like, why are you just coachingher? That’s not fair!

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Coaching Women

Coaching Female High-Performance Athletes

Tell your athletes about your continuousprofessional development (CPD)Having a coach who is well trained, knowledgeable andwho can pass this knowledge on is obviously crucial.Some athletes like the idea that their coach hasperformed at the highest level or has coached greatathletes, but to have achieved this is not a necessity.Athletes have considerable respect for a coach whocontinues his or her coach education and is prepared totry out new techniques.

The significance of the coach’s genderFrom the athletes we interviewed, there was a general preference for a male coach. When asked toconsider why this might be, the following explanationswere provided:

• Their preference for a male coach was due to theirlack of experience with female coaches

• Male coaches may have performed at a higher levelthan female coaches

• They associated ‘good coaching attributes’ withmasculine traits (ie dominant, controlling and inspiringrespect). However, these traits are not exclusive to men; female coaches can also apply them to their coaching.

Similarly, the female athletes acknowledged that femalecoaches can bring other qualities to coaching, such assensitivity or empathy and open communication, and thata good coach does not necessarily have to have played atthe highest level.

New ideas are coming in all of thetime as he has picked these upseeing other coaches around theworld and brought them in to us;and they are great. I use both; theold and the new techniques.

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I hope [the coach] would guide meand tell me how to do it, but thenlet me have some input in, if Ithink that’s the correct way to doit or not.‘

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She was brilliant, different to a malecoach in the fact she had anemotional side. Even though Jack,my first coach, had an emotionalside, it wasn’t shown that often.‘

’Think:Ensure you continue your CPD for your owndevelopment and pass on your learning toyour athletes, explaining to them any newapproaches. Female athletes will feel morecomfortable if they understand why atraining method has changed.

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Think:You may need to acknowledge and manageyour athletes’ perceptions of your ability andqualities in relation to your own gender. Trybringing both male and female coaches intotraining sessions to offer athletes a morerounded view and approach to coaches.

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The significance of the athlete’s genderMany athletes see themselves as athletes first and womensecond. They want to be pushed as hard as male athletesand demand the same expectations. That said, theathletes we spoke to acknowledged that women aredifferent to men; for example, women can be moreemotional, they will talk more and are more inquisitive. Assuch, the coach may need to tailor the way he or shecommunicates with the athlete or team to meet theseneeds, but still train them as hard and with the sametechnical rigour.

What makes an ideal coach?Someone who:

• is highly qualified and continually learning

• is organised and in control

• respects and listens to the athlete

• provides regular feedback, both constructive and positive

• supports the individual as an athlete and as a person

• understands what makes their athletes tick and whatmotivates them

• can adapt the training to an athlete’s needs

• makes training sessions hard, but fun and varied

• is committed to the athlete and the athlete’s goals

• has high expectations of the athlete and challenges them

• can be a role model

• can be a mentor.

A call to actionThink about how you could change your approach to yourcoaching sessions. You don’t have to be able to identify witheverything on this factsheet, but the differences you willachieve from changing a minor part of your coachingmethodology could bring great results.

There are five other factsheets in the series. Each oneexplores a different area surrounding women in sport,which may help inform your approach to your currentcoaching practice. The factsheets are:

• Coaching Myth Buster

• Female Psychology and Considerations for Coaching Practice

• Female Physiology and Considerations for Coaching Practice

• Developing Female Coaches

• Socially Inclusive Coaching.

For further information about the series, please email coaching@sportscoachuk.org

Coaching Women

Coaching Female High-Performance Athletes

Ultimately, I’m a basketball playerand that’s what I want to be seenas. I don’t want to be seen assomething, but I think genderalways comes into account.There’s no way of getting aroundit, no matter how much you try.

‘Think:Understand the significance of gender foryour athlete for how it impacts on herapproach to training and performance.

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