Head coach tenure in college women’s soccer. Do race, gender, and career background matter?
A summary of the article:
The article "Head Coach Tenure in College Women’s Soccer: Do Race, Gender, and Career Background Matter?" investigates the factors affecting the tenure of head coaches in U.S. college women’s soccer, focusing on race and gender. Using data from 1977 to 2015, the study analyzes the tenure of over 14,000 coaches, examining how individual characteristics such as educational background, race, gender, and team performance influence how long a coach remains in their position. The findings reveal that African American and female coaches tend to have significantly shorter tenures compared to their white male counterparts, even when controlling for team success and institutional characteristics. These disparities suggest that biases against minority coaches persist in the collegiate sports system, despite similar performance levels.
The study concludes that African American coaches, in particular, face greater challenges in maintaining long-term positions, potentially due to racial prejudices and the dominance of white males in coaching networks. Similarly, women coaches, although often coaching women's teams, face stereotypes and biases that limit their career advancement. The research highlights the need for changes in hiring and evaluation processes to address these inequalities and create a more inclusive environment for minority and female coaches.
Key Takeaways:
Shorter tenures for African American and female coaches: Both groups face biases that lead to shorter tenures compared to their white male counterparts, even with similar team performance.
Racial and gender bias: The study confirms the existence of systemic biases in the hiring and retention of minority and women coaches in college women’s soccer.
Importance of institutional support: The research emphasizes the need for more inclusive practices and policies in collegiate athletics to improve tenure outcomes for underrepresented groups.
Authors: Cornel Nesseler , Carlos Gomez-Gonzalez & Thadeu Gasparetto
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