HOW TO GET(AND KEEP)
GIRLS PLAYINGSTRATEGIES FOR ENGAGING & RETAINING GIRLS IN SPORTA GUIDE FOR COACHES &PROGRAM LEADERS

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CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. ABOUT THE GUIDE
3. RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHATCOACHES SHOULD DO?
4. TOOLS FOR COACHES & PROGRAM LEADERS
5. COACHING MIXED-GENDER TEAMS
6. PRACTICE PLANS
7. BEHAVIOUR BANK(FOR PROGRAM LEADERS / COACHES OF COACHES)
8. HOW TO TRAIN COACHES(PROGRAM LEADERS & COACHES OF COACHES)
9. CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
THE RESEARCH SHOWS GIRLS LOVE TO PLAY AND PLAY COMPETITIVELY. EVEN
SO, THEY START SPORTS LATER AND STOP PLAYING EARLIER THAN BOYS
DO – OFTEN BECAUSE OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS OR BECAUSE
OF NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES. THAT’S A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE GIRLS ANDYOUNG WOMEN NEED THE BENEFITS THAT SPORTS OFFER. THE GOOD NEWS IS
THE RIGHT COACH CAN MAKE ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE.
Girls participate in sport at lower rates thanboys, at all ages. Girls also tend to get involvedin sport later than boys do and they drop out
sooner. These disparities are more evident
in urban communities and among girls andyoung women from visible minorities.1

the mental health treatment they need, so
access to programmes that provide benefits
in non-traditional ways is vital. Young girls
in urban communities, who have the leastaccess to sport, are particularly vulnerable
to experiencing certain types of trauma andhave inadequate access to high-quality
mental health services.

Recent research from the Women’s Sports
Foundation (USA) reveals that the reason
girls and young women participate less is not
because they don’t enjoy the key componentsof sport: being competitive, feeling athletic,
reaching goals and building a team. They dowant these things and they report enjoying
sport at high rates. The reality is that girls haveextra challenges to overcome when it comesto getting and staying in sports. For example,
girls receive conflicting cultural messages
about what it means to be a girl or young
woman and what it means to be an athlete.
They often feel that they must cross genderboundaries in order to play a sport seen as
masculine, they get teased by boys while intraditionally male-centred sport spaces, andthey do not have enough female coaches tolook up to and relate to.

Sport has huge potential to benefit girls, but it
has to be done effectively. While many factors
contribute to whether or not a girl continues
to play a sport, it is clear that girls need greatcoaches. The Women’s Sports Foundation
found that how a girl feels about her coach isone of the most important factors related to if
she keeps playing.

It matters that girls aren’t accessing thebenefits of sport as much as they could be.
Girls and young women need the physical,
mental, academic and social benefits thatsport participation has been shown to give.
In recent years, a worrying trend is the highrates of depression and anxiety evident in girls
and young women in Europe. Many of thesegirls and young women are unable to access3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
While we know that coaches have the best
intentions when it comes to helping theirathletes succeed, we also know that people
come to coaching, and any interaction, with
implicit and explicit biases. For example,
in a physical sport like rugby, a coach’s
perceptions of female “toughness” maycause them to focus on different activities
or skills when coaching girls as opposed toboys. A coach’s bias or expectations about
femininity may influence whether theyencourage their players to weight train or
participate in other strength-based exercises.
A coach who believes girls participate insport primarily to “be with their friends” may
not focus on girls’ skill development as muchas they would when coaching boys.

Any of these behaviours, while notnecessarily intentional, could influence how
fulfilled and challenged a girl feels from theirsport experience. Becoming more aware ofbiases around the role of women and girls in
sport and using strategies to overcome themis fundamental to changing the way girls andyoung women are treated in sport. Coaches
also might simply be unaware of ways thatgirls are feeling unwelcome in the sport
context or are facing barriers that they needextra support to overcome. Since coaches
are at the core of how girls experience sport,
we want to give coaches tangible tools they
can use to create more girl-friendly sport andplay environments.

http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/go_out_and_play_exec.pdf

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Coaching through a gender lens (WSF)3

https://adaa.org/find-help-for/women/mental-health-in-young-girls-and-teens4

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/health/children-teens-mental-health-untreated-study/index.html

5https://www.ywca.org/wp-content/uploads/BRIEFING_PAPER_GOC_AND_TRAUMA_FINAL.pdf

Hodgkinson, S., Godoy, L., Beers, L. S., & Lewin, A. (2016).
Improving Mental Health Access for Low-Income Children and Families in the Primary Care Setting. Pediatrics, 139(1). doi:10.1542/peds.2015-1175

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Coaching through a gender lens (WSF)

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ABOUT THIS GUIDETHIS TOOLKIT AIMS TO BUILD ON THE COMPREHENSIVEPICTURE OF WHAT GIRLS NEED FROM THEIR SPORT
EXPERIENCE OUTLINED BY THE WOMEN’S SPORTS
FOUNDATION IN THEIR APRIL 2019 REPORT “COACHING
THROUGH A GENDER LENS”, AS WELL AS THE
SUBSTANTIAL WORK OF OTHER RESEARCHERS AND
PRACTITIONERS IN THE FIELD.
WE HOPE TO TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH
THE BODY OF EXISTING RESEARCH AND TRANSLATETHEM INTO ACTION. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVEBEEN COLLATED BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH
ON GIRLS IN SPORT, AN EXPERT CONVENING OF
PRACTITIONERS AND LEADERS IN THE FIELD, AND PILOTTESTING OF TRAINING MATERIALS BY TWO GROUPS OF
COACHES WORKING IN THE FIELD.

COVID-19 GUIDANCE
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 crisis will have lasting impacts on the way we coach,gather and play. As communities begin youth sports and activities again, it is important toconsider how best to protect players, coaches, families and communities.
Coaches and programme leaders should consult local health officials to determine if andwhen it is safe to resume play and sport activities, as well as how to implement policies andprocedures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Each community and sport is different, andcoaches should consider local guidance to meet their community and activity’s unique needs.

8. The Women’s Sports Foundation has led the way in understanding and translating important data about the role of women and girls in sport.
This report relies heavily on their work (especially this report: https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/coaching-through-a-gender-lens-report-web.pdf) and the work of organizations like the Tucker Center for Research on Women and Girls in Sport at the University of Minnesota andthe Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS).
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RECOMMENDATIONSON WHAT COACHESSHOULD DO

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1. MAKE SURE THE PLAYING SPACE &TEAM CULTURE WORK FOR GIRLS
There are some basic things that coaches
can do ahead of time to make sure that they
are creating girl-centred environments. Someof these things have to do with the physicalspace, the language we use, the examples
we elevate and the way we model behaviours.
In some cases, like with facilities, coaches
may not have direct control over thesethings. Regardless, it’s important for themto understand and advocate to programme
administrators for the needs of the girls
on their teams. Keeping children safe iseveryone’s responsibility, and coaches should
always prioritize the safety, security and wellbeing of young athletes.

• Prioritize opportunities within programmes
for girls to be in girls-only spaces.

CREATE A SAFE, WELCOMING SPACE ANDPROVIDE APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT• Check all spaces are as safe and welcoming
to girls as possible. This means coaches
should check that spaces are hazard-free,well-lit and appropriately supervised.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU INCLUDE GIRLS
Make time to reflect on how you include girls
as part of your everyday approach. Talk toother coaches, programme administratorsand the girls on the team about successes
and challenges. Think about what kind of
biases you might have when it comes to girls’
participation in sports and find ways to include
players and parents in conversations about
perceptions and misperceptions of female
athletes. Check out the Conversation Starters
on page 29.

USE INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
Without meaning to, we are all responsible for
perpetuating a culture of masculinity in sport
through language. One of the most common
ways we do this is by referring to all young
people as “guys”. Girls are not “guys”. In fact,
in one study of classrooms where teachers
called all the students “guys”, researchers
found that girls were significantly less likely
to raise their hands because they thought
the teacher wasn’t talking to them. We also
tend to provide sport examples that featuremen. When making team names, don’t justCoaches should take time to explicitly examine rely on names like FC Barcelona, Tottenham
and equip the playing space and team culture Hotspurs, Inter Milan and Hertha BSC. Be
with the things they need to be more girlsure to also consider Chelsea LFC, Paris Saintfriendly. Here’s where to start:
Germain Féminines and other women’s teams.

• Ensure bathrooms are accessible andmeet girls’ needs.
• Make sure girls aren’t simply included but
are welcomed into their sports experience.

CHANGE THE RULES TO INCLUDE EVERYONE
Coach Olga from Perspektiva in Moscow often changes the rules of the game or equipment she uses
to include all girls, irrespective of their individual needs. For example, some girls refuse to participate
in group activities because they are afraid of a fast-paced environment, being hit by a heavyball or being unable to move as fast as the other girls. Substituting a ball with a lighter one, startingwith a slow practice or exercise and not keeping score before everyone has had a chance to practise
helps to include everyone, irrespective of their needs or fears.
72. CREATE CONNECTIONSWITH GIRLS
Most importantly, a coach can help show
a girl what is possible through sport!

One of the most important things a sports
programme can do to promote girl-friendly
policies is to invest in the people who will
be part of that girl’s experience. A healthy
relationship with a caring adult, like a coach,can make a girl feel like they belong in sports
and help to fuel her positive development.
Coaches can model good decision-making,provide support when things are hard andshare their own experiences so that girls
understand that what they are going throughis normal.

• Teammates can also be a source ofinspiration and drive engagement for girls.
• Peer influence is important, especially duringadolescence, and it can be a powerful tool
to get girls excited about sports and help
girls to feel welcome and safe in a sports
environment that might otherwise feel new
and different.
• Relationships with peers are also more likely
to stay with a girl outside of sport – providing
a protective layer of support both on and off
the pitch, field or court.

MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS

THE ARGUMENT FOR MIXED SESSIONS

Coach Rascha from Berlin Kickt in Germany
always tries to include conversations
with individual girls in every session. A
conversation at eye level is worth its weightin gold. The girls feel taken seriously andthe relationship with the coach, who is also
a role model, is strengthened. This in turnpromotes trust in the girls themselves. They
trust themselves more and learn that it isimportant to have a voice.

Bea, a social educator at the Barça
Foundation, finds that boys enrolled inpermanent mixed sessions have a greater
tolerance towards girls playing sport thanboys who participate with girls on an ad
hoc basis.

PEER INFLUENCE
Nazlı, a hip-hop coach in Istanbul, always
engages in a trusting relationship with the
girls she trains. She puts a lot of sincerity
into every little move she shares. Throughhip-hop activities and this valuable
relationship, the girls build the self-confidence
they need in life and sport.
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3. LET GIRLS COMPETE
For a long time, competition has not beenviewed as one of the primary motivations
for girls to play sports. The myths that girls
are there to lose weight or socialise haveexisted for decades. And, while it’s true thatgirls prioritise relationships in sports, thishas come to be understood as somehow in
conflict with the idea of competing.
The two are not mutually exclusive. It turns
out girls are most motivated by coaches
who can do both – create meaningful
relationships and challenge them to improveand compete.
Competition comes in many different
shapes and sizes. Coaches have the ability
to set up sports experiences so that girls
have the chance to experience, become
comfortable with and excel at all of them.
Competition can be motivating for girls,
and coaches should not shy away fromchallenging girls to improve as individuals,
as a team and against others. When acoach’s approach to competition focuses on
individual and team improvement and notjust the final score, their feedback to theirplayers is more personalised and engaging.

ENCOURAGE CELEBRATIONS FOR SELF-CONFIDENCE
Coaches Dinesh and Yvan from Sport dans la Ville in Paris have built an atmospherethat encourages the girls to celebrate their goals with a celebration dance. “They gain
confidence on the field and assert themselves as they play. They are taking theirrightful place on the pitch.”9

4. FOCUS ON PROGRESS,NOT THE FINAL OUTCOME• Girls want coaches who create positiveenvironments that encourage safety, fun,skill-building and healthy competition.

When coaches focus on progress and not
performance outcomes, the definition of
success changes. Not only are girls rewarded
for winning games, but they are alsocelebrated for making progress on key sportand life skills that help them perform.

• They want feedback that is relevant to theirdevelopment and not only based on the
team’s win-loss record.

Being celebrated for their improvements
helps build their confidence and encourages
them to try new things and take risks– something that girls really like about
participating in sports.

• In an expert approach, coaches focus on
the effort and process behind learning askill, not the outcome. It focuses on thethings that are within an athlete’s control –the progress and not the performance of
the athlete and team.
The process of seeing yourself get betterat something is incredibly powerful.
Unfortunately, though, that power is wasted
if girls aren’t conscious of the fact thatthey’ve improved. It’s the job of coaches
to make sure they see their progress
and, through that progress, undergo thetransformation from feeling like they“can’t” to believing that they “can”.

GIRLS ARE PART OF GOAL-SETTING AND MEASURING PROGRESS
Coach Alecia from Girls in the Game in Chicago starts every season by asking eachgirl to pick one skill she wants to get better at that season. They take two minutes
every training session to work on the skill and Alecia periodically records how eachplayer is doing. At the end of the season, each girl sees how she’s improved.
105. ENCOURAGE GIRLS TO BE
BRAVE, NOT PERFECT• Set expectations and give positive attention toand praise girls who try new things even morethan those who perform skills well.
When everyone understands that trying, even
if they fail, is among their team’s mostimportant values, you will see girls who feelsafe to take risks.

For many girls, there is significant pressure toportray themselves in a positive light. Social
media is one of the factors that influence girls
to think that they always have to be perfect;
but girls are typically celebrated and rewarded
for being perfect, while boys are celebrated
and rewarded for taking risks. This means girls
are often socialised to be less likely than boys
to try new things, especially when they aren’t
sure whether or not they will be successful.
But when they don’t try things, they miss out
on the opportunity to discover what they enjoy
and where they find success. You can’t learnsomething without being willing to take a risk
and try something new.
In order for girls to be willing to try something
new, we have to:• Create environments that reward bravery,
not perfection.
• Make girls feel safe to take risks, knowing thatthey won’t be judged and that the courage they
use to take a risk will be rewarded. They haveto know that what they bring to the team isvalued and that their contribution matters.

CONNECTING TO THE FUNDAMENTALSCoach Olivia from Sported’s “Future Leaders in Sport” in London always tries to make sureher netball classes are energetic and to allow girls to have fun with the fundamentals - “I’d say
making sure sessions make participants always remember why they got into their sport andtheir love for it. So keeping sessions fun and structured!”11

TOOLS FOR
COACHES &PROGRAM LEADERS

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GIRL-CENTEREDENVIRONMENTS CHECKLISTHOW TO USE THE CHECKLIST(PROGRAM MANAGERS)
Set up a regular schedule to run throughthe checklist – e.g. before the season,
midway through the year and at the end of
the year. Share the tool with coaches andcreate a two-way dialogue about successes
and challenges. Coaches should share
how they think they are doing and what
support they need from the programmes.
Programme managers should share
feedback about where they see coaches
being successful and ask how they can be
more supportive.

HOW TO USE THE CHECKLIST (COACHES)
Use the tool to check in regularly about
how successful you are at providing theright environments for girls. Be sure to ask
participants to review and provide feedback
on what they see working and what could
be improved. If something needs to changethat is outside of your control, advocate toyour programme manager or the league
administrators about making a change.

13THE CHECKLISTINCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

SAFE, WELCOMING SPACE AND
TEAM CULTURE Girls are safe when arriving at practiceor games. Entrance and activity space
are hazard-free, well-lit and appropriately
supervised.
 Girls’ bathrooms are accessible andappropriately stocked. Garbage cans andhygiene products are accessible.

 Girls (and boys) are referred to in gender-neutral
terms. Coaches don’t refer to all players are“guys.”
 Girls hear coaches refer to positive female
athlete role models – when naming teams orgiving examples of great performances.
 Girls hear coaches acknowledge important
female sports events, like WNBA playoffs, theU.S. Open, or the Women’s World Cup.

 Girls are actively and intentionally welcomed tothe space and included in activities.

TIME TO REFLECT Girls have the chance to reflect on theirexperiences in formal and informal ways.
 Girls have the chance to provide feedback to
the coaches about their experiences.

 Girls see pictures of female role models orother girls being active in their sport spaces.
 Girls see grown women who look like themwhen they participate in sports.
 Girls have the opportunity to be active in spacethat is reserved just for them.

 Girls see their coaches reflect on their bias about
girls in sport and actively work to change it.

APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT Girls have access to sports equipment thatworks for them: the right size, appropriate to
the rules of their sport, etc.
 Girls have access to personal items, like sports
bras, hair ties and sport shoes or cleats,
which enable them to participate in sports.
If they don’t have these items, coaches orprogramme administrators attempt to securethem on their behalf.

 Girls see their coaches intervene when they
hear comments or see actions that minimize
girls’ ability to participate in sports.

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KEY COACHING STRATEGIES
1. LEARN NAMESAs simple as it sounds, too many coaches
don’t learn their athletes’ names, take toolong to learn them or simply don’t use them.
Coaches should have a strategy for learning
names and shouldn’t be afraid to admit totheir team that they are working hard to learn
all the names. But it’s not enough to justlearn the name. Use them for every player
at every session.

attention. It’s important for the team to seethat everyone’s contribution is not just nice,but necessary.

4. CELEBRATE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF CONTRIBUTIONSHigh-performing teams get contributions fromevery player, not just the coach, captain andbest athletes. Not all athletes contribute in thesame way. Some do it through encouraging
comments, some do it by modeling a great
work ethic, some do it by rising to thechallenge during competition. Encourage yourathletes to find the unique things that they cancontribute to the team. Be sure to highlightand reward contributions that don’t always get

7. PRAISE THE RIGHT THINGS, THE RIGHT WAY
As coaches, we have tremendous power to set
the tone and priorities of the team. The things
we reward become the things that the players
will care about. Don’t just say, “good job.” Besure to call out and specifically acknowledge
the behaviors that your players exhibit that
contribute to the team. These should bethings that players have control over, so they
start to believe that they have the power to getbetter and learn new things.

5. LET GIRLS SET THEIR OWN GOALS
Encourage girls to set their own goals forwhat they want to accomplish and help them
identify goals that are within their control. They
may not be able to control the outcome of agame on their own, but they can control how
they prepare for that game and the kind ofeffort they put out for the game. Helping girls
2. CIRCLE UP
focus on things that they can influence, like
Circles create inclusion and safety. Circles
working hard, sticking with something andput everyone on the same level, includingcoaches. Girls are more likely to connect with trying to be brave, will also result in betterone another and with their coaches when they team and individual performance.
feel equally valued and heard. Circles also
6. CREATE A COMPETITIVE CULTURE
help players feel safe – there’s nothing goingon behind them, someone’s watching their
There are lots of ways to be competitive. Be
back – so they can relax and pay attention tosure to mix up your practices so that girls havewhat’s happening with the team.
the chance to compete against themselves,
and with and against their teammates. Have
3. ASK QUESTIONS
them try and set “personal records” – whichShow you’re interested in girls and engage
will encourage them to focus on their own
them in their learning by asking questions
progress as much as their progress against
instead of always giving instructions. When atheir teammates or opponents. Giving girls the
young girl asks a question, she is building her chance to practice being competitive in lots
still-developing rational thinking and decision- of different ways will set them up for successmaking skills.
when the big game comes!

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KEY COACHING STRATEGIES
8. PRIORITIZE BRAVERY
Many girls feel pressure to be perfect at
whatever they do. That focus on perfection
can keep them from trying new things,
especially when they don’t know if they’ll
be able to master it. In order to encourage
girls to take risks and try new things, makea conscious effort to reward bravery. Makebeing brave the most important thing a player
on your team can be by calling it out andhaving girls celebrate it in each other. You
could even go from having a Most Valuable
Player to a Bravest Player award.
9. LET MISTAKES GO
If girls are too scared to try new things, they
will never have the chance to experience theconfidence and joy that comes from tacklingsomething new. Nothing is more powerfulfor girls than to know that you are not perfect.
It means that they don’t have to be.
Share your mistakes so that they feel safe
to make their own. Encourage girls to moveon from mistakes by engaging in a physicalgesture that she can use to remind herself
that mistakes are ok and to get ready forthe next play.
10. MAKE TIME FOR GIRLS TO TALK
Coaches should carve out time at the endof every practice where girls get to talk about
what they want to talk about.
Give girls the chance to have their voices
heard and learn more about and connect
with their teammates.

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COACHINGMIXED-GENDER TEAMS

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COACHINGMIXED-GENDER TEAMS

The strategies in this toolkit focus on
For many coaches and programmes,
the things that research shows are mostthinking about how to create great
important to creating a good experience forenvironments for girls starts with creating
girls in sport. Many of them address historical
single-gender opportunities, especially forbarriers that women and girls have faced ingirls. We know there can be value in thisapproach (particularly where marginalised girls sport and support coaches to overcome typicalpitfalls that come from centuries of bias about
have the chance to participate without theglare of the boys that sport favours). However, female athletes. However, there’s no reason
these strategies can’t be applied to mixedit is important that we recognise the value ofgender teams.
providing opportunities for boys and girls tocompete together.
Strategies that work well and enable a great
The Women’s Sports Foundation recommends experience for girls are often strategies thatthat prior to puberty – when variation tends to work well for boys and mixed-gender teams too.
be among individuals, not genders – girls andAt the core, the strategies are about prioritisingboys should compete with and against eachrelationships, encouraging young people toother on mixed-gender teams.
take risks, focusing on the process of learning
Additionally, they go on to recommend that,and giving every athlete the things they need tounder the right conditions, there is value tobe successful. And while we may need to work
continuing this practice even after puberty.
harder to ensure that every female athlete has
the tools she needs to be successful, providing
this support does nothing to diminish theexperience of male athletes.

1
https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/issues-related-to-girls-and-boys-competing-with-and-against-each-other-in-sportsand-physical-activity-settings-the-foundation-position.pdf

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KEY CONSIDERATIONSFOR MIXED-GENDER TEAMS
3. WATCH WHAT YOU CELEBRATE
Our natural biases often appear in the formof rewarding behaviours that we think of as
characteristic to a specific gender identity.
When coaching girls and boys together, it’s evenmore important that we avoid reinforcing thesestereotypes and praise everyone for the things
we prioritise most. For example, a coach should
cheer just as loudly when a male or female
player tries something new as when they score apoint or win a race.

Girls and boys often experience sportdifferently. Boys may be more inclined(and encouraged) to try different things.
Some players may find it easier to access
opportunities to play than others. Bullying andteasing can be a problem. Parents, caregivers,
coaches and even players themselves canhave conscious and unconscious biases
that affect the experience. As the coach of amixed-gender team, here’s what you’ll want tothink about:
1. PAY ATTENTION TO GROUPINGS
As with any team, a mixed-gender team will
have a natural range of skill and competency.
The environments that best support thedevelopment of young people at every level arethose that consciously group participants aroundtheir skill and experience level, not by school,
gender, size or age.
2. AVOID DIFFERENT STANDARDS
Many programmes think they are “levelling theplaying field” by changing the standards for girls.
For example, they double the points scored by agirl or set a minimum number of minutes a girlhas to play. Rather than elevating the girls’ role,
this serves only to call attention to differences.
Instead, make the requirements the same forboys and girls. For example, in a mixed-genderbasketball league, require that in the first andsecond quarters, each team must play withthree girls and two boys; in the third and fourth
quarters, three boys and two girls.

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TRAININGSESSION PLAN

(GENERAL/SPECIFIC SPORT)

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TRAINING SESSION PLAN
(GENERAL/SPECIFIC SPORT)HOW TO USE THE PRACTICE PLAN
(PROGRAM MANAGER):
One way to ensure that coaches remember
some of the key concepts you shared withthem at training is to use a standard session
plan template that reinforces those concepts.
Share the template below with coaches
so that they can find the right moments tointegrate the strategies we know will help
girls make the most of their sport experience.
A great training session focuses on building
sport skills and essential life skills that girls
can use on and off the field.

HOW TO USE THE CHECKLIST (COACHES)As a coach, you’re in control of eachtraining session. And creating a consistent
structure for sessions will help you build theright coaching habits and create the best
environment for your players to thrive in. A
training session plan will help ensure you findthe right moments to integrate some of the
key coaching strategies we know will help
girls make the most of their sport experience.
A great training session focuses on building
sport skills and essential life skills that girls
can use on and off the field.

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TIME

TRAINING COMPONENT

5 MIN

CIRCLE UP(90-minpractice)

10 MIN

COACH FOCUS

Always form a circle: Circles put everyone
Establish a routine so girls know what to expect(e.g. how training will start every day). Give players at the same level and make us feel safe –an outline for the day and let them share anything someone’s always got your back!
that they are thinking about before the session!
Ask Questions: Check-in and see how players
are doing!
WARM-UP

Make your warm-up consistent, active and focusedon connection. It’s even better if it’s something the
girls take control over after the first few sessions. Thisis the time when girls can shake off whatever’s been
happening during the day and focus on training.

At the beginning of the season, use this time
to focus on learning names!

15 MIN

Observe players doing something good andThis should be a high-energy, physical activity that recognise their contributions: Offer specificreally gets the blood pumping. It should also be a praise to players for things they can control,
like supporting their teammates, working hardtime when players have the chance to work withdifferent teammates and work to solve a problem and, most importantly, trying new things!
together or get to know something about theirteammates!

15 MINSKILL BUILDINGTEAM BUILDING

Help girls set goals for themselves!

Introduce your skill of the day. For example, inbasketball, create a simple drill and add difficulty.
Provide challenge by:Remind players that mistakes are part oflearning and, instead, encourage them to focus
on the progress they’ve made by asking,16. Increasing speed (e.g. dribble the ball faster)
17. Adding pressure (e.g. dribble against a defender) “How did you do that?”
18. Introducing fatigue (e.g. dribble longer & farther)
30 MIN

15 MINGAMESTransition into games that reinforce the skill you
are working on. Get creative and plan for lots ofactivity!

Mix up the competition- challenge players tobeat personal records, combine for a teamrecord, or find the day’s winning team.

Make sure you leave time to reflect and review –tweak the rules of the game to highlight the skill
you are working on.

Remember to recognise players who are being
brave, taking risks and trying new things. It
matters that you focus on this when it counts.

COOL DOWN AND CREATE A CIRCLE

Consistently follow your end of session routine tocool down from the day’s activities and get readyto transition out of training.
Give the players time to connect with each otherand talk about whatever is going on with them.

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Instead of telling players what you thoughtof the session, ask questions: What did they
notice about the session? What did they like?
What would they do differently?
Let them talk about what they want totalk about!

BEHAVIOUR BANK(FOR PROGRAM LEADERS,
COACHES OF COACHES)

23

HOW TO USE
THIS SET OF BEHAVIORS CAN BE USED IN MANY WAYS.

TIP OF THE DAY
Provide one of these tips for every active day of the season
so that a coach is reminded to attend to girl-specific needs
every time they interact with their team (this might be printed
on training session plans or in a coaching manual, or might bedelivered via email, text, app, etc.)

TO ESTABLISH COACH EXPECTATIONSAND HELP WITH THE OBSERVATION
Choose the behaviours that are most relevant to yourprogramme (the highest leverage or the areas in which
you think your programme most needs to grow). Sharethese behaviours directly with coaches to illustrate yourexpectations. This may include creating a tool that allows
administrators or coach developers to observe the coaches
while coaching. Use these observations to start an ongoing
conversation with coaches about how to build their skills, sothey deliver on every expectation.

TO BUILD THE HABIT OF REFLECTION
To help coaches reflect and create consistent feedback loops,
require coaches to answer a few short questions related tothe behaviour bank after every training session. They will be
reminded of what is important and get into the habit of asking
themselves what worked and what didn’t work that day.

24

BEHAVIOR BANKLEGEND
CREATE CONNECTION

BRAVE, NOT PERFECT

GIRL CHECKLET HER COMPETE

PROGRESS, NOT OUTCOMES

7. CREATE A CIRCLE
Start and end each training session in a circle.
A circle puts everyone on the same level,
encourages connection and creates safety
because everyone’s got each other’s backs.

1. LEARN NAMES
Let girls identify what they want to be called.
Quiz yourself after training to make sure you
know the names of every player.
2. LISTEN FOR LANGUAGE
Track the number of times you say “guys” torefer to the team on a given day. It’s probably
more than you think. Challenge yourself
to insert a different term like “friends” or“athletes”. Make a game out of it by having
your team hold you accountable!

8. DIFFERENTIATE DEBRIEFS
Mix it up! You don’t always have to have theteam share their thoughts and experiences in
big groups. Have them talk in pairs or small
groups about what’s going on!
9. EXAMINE EXAMPLES
When you give an example of a successful
athlete, are they always men? Are there
pictures of female athletes around? Do you
highlight the backgrounds of accomplishedfemale coaches and athletes as much as malecoaches and athletes?

3. ESTABLISH A LIST OF “WE BELIEVES”
Together with your team, create a set of team“norms” or “we believe” statements. Make
sure there is explicit language around how
important it is to take risks and try new things.
4. ASK QUESTIONSShow you’re interested in girls and engage themin learning. Asking more questions also means
they are practising using their “thinking brain”.

10. PLAY DOWN PERFECTION
Do you always focus on the result or on thecourage it takes to try something new? Be
sure to offer specific praise for taking risks
and learning from mistakes.

5. BUILD BELONGING
Include an activity where girls get to create
an identity symbol for their team. Maybe it’s ateam flag or a team mascot.

11. MAKE CONTRIBUTION COUNTCan every girl identify what she brings to theteam? Ask three players what they think they
are contributing to the team.

6. CHALLENGE BALANCE OF GENDER
ROLE MODELSHow many female coaches are part of the
programme? Are you helping to recruit otherfemale coaches?
25

BEHAVIOR BANK
12. SET THE TONE
Have you shared an example of a time you
tried something new and failed recently?
If we want coaches to be vulnerable and share
their experiences so that girls feel safe to try
new things, we have to make coaches feelsafe to be vulnerable. Make trying something
new the topic of the next coaches’ newsletteror meeting.
13. FIND OUT WHO’S ON HER TEAM
Make a list of the girls on your team. Can you
and the other coaches identify a parent or
caring adult for each one by name?
If you can’t, prioritise getting to know more
about those girls.

18. DO SHOUT-OUTS FOR COMPETITION
Do a reflection exercise and specifically praise
the girls who competed the best that day –either with herself, among her teammates orfor her team.
19. CREATE GIRL SPACES
Think about how visible your training is. Is
there ever a time when girls get to be in aspace by themselves, without boys watching?
Create a little of that time if you can, even if itmeans doing a fun activity in the girls’ locker
room or for a few minutes before training.
20. LET GIRLS CHOOSE
Give the girls the chance to work together toplan the day. They’ll feel ownership and you’lllearn what they like the most about being partof the team.

14. GET REAL ABOUT RISK-TAKING
Talk to girls about the differences between“comfort zones” and “learning zones” andencourage them to reflect on where they are
when they are doing an activity.

21. GET FEEDBACK FROM GIRLS
Ask your players how they think the season isgoing. You can do this formally (have them fillout a short survey) or informally (have themrate their experience on a scale of 1 to 5,
using their hands). The more you ask for their
feedback, the more engaged they will be.

15. ENCOURAGE “GOOD GOSSIP”
Pick a girl every active day of the season
and make a call or send a text to a parent or
contact to tell them what’s great about her!

22. USE NAMES FROM WOMEN’S TEAMS
Have a big group game or tournament where
all the teams are named after professional
women’s teams. (Let Her Compete)

16. DO A BATHROOM CHECK
Are the spaces clean and well-lit? Do all thebathrooms have sanitary bins for the girls to
use if they need to? Report to the programme
if they aren’t and remind the girls that you’re
there to help if they need anything.

23. FIND OUT WHAT THEY’VE LEARNEDAsk five girls what they have improved at thisseason. Make sure that every girl can identify
something they’ve gotten better at doing

17. SHARE THE POSITIVES
Make sure to end every coach gathering witha reflection and give the coaches a chance toshare their observations. Check that they are
doing the same at every training session.

26

BEHAVIOR BANK
24. ESTABLISH TEAM TRADITIONSWhen you visit an event or training, do you see
players participate in something that makes
them feel like part of the group – like a teamchant, a team name or some kind of activity
that they always do together?
25. UNLEASH THE POWER OF “YET”
What happens when a girl says “I can’t”? Do
you answer with encouragement? Adults that
help young people focus on the fact that they
can get better at something help them build
more confidence. Encourage your girls to add“yet” to the sentence every time they thinkthey can’t.

29. MAKE TIME TO REFLECT
Mix up your moment of reflection for the dayby having girls share in pairs or small groups.
30. CREATE A “TRY TALLY”
Keep track of the times you see a girl try new
things and call them out during shout-outs
at the end of the day. Ask the team who else
noticed their teammates trying new things.
31. FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS
Have a routine where girls spend time every
day working on the fundamental skills of yoursport. Feeling confident in these skills canhelp girls see themselves getting better overtime. It can also be a great way to help girls
transition from wherever they’ve been
to training.

26. USE A FEEDBACK BOX
Give girls the chance to give feedback in
private by writing down their feedback andputting it in a box. Have all players write or
draw something on a piece of paper and turnit in, so that everyone puts something in thebox and any girl who wants to share feedback
feels safe to offer it.

32. ASK “HOW DID YOU DO THAT?”
Asking “how did you do that?” forces a girl totake ownership of her accomplishment andthink about the process she went through inorder to be able to achieve it.
33. SET PERSONAL RECORDS
Instead of comparing themselves to theirteammates, have girls keep track of theirown personal records and try to beat thoserecords. Celebrate when a girl sets a newbest!

27. GET EVERY GIRL A WIN
Every girl has something positive to contributeand it’s a coach’s job to make sure that she
has the chance to offer it to the team. Find
ways to encourage girls to take risks, try new
things and discover what they, uniquely, bringto their team.

34. DIAL UP … AND DOWN
28. ESTABLISH A WORD OF THE DAY
Help girls get ready to take on the nextchallenge by dialling back the pressure in a
Girls don’t always get rewarded for being
drill – even for just a few repetitions – after“strong” or “hard-playing”. Set a word of the
you’ve pushed them outside their comfort
day that celebrates girls’ completive spirit. Be
sure to call out three things you see girls doing zones. This gives them a chance to regain
their sense of control and achievement.
today that are examples of the word, such as
girls being physically and mentally strong.

27

BEHAVIOR BANK
39. TEACH NEW SPORTS AND NEW SKILLS
Spend part of training teaching a brandnew sport or activity that requires new anddifferent skills. This evens out any existing skill
hierarchies and helps everyone focus on thebasics. It might also highlight the strengthsof a player who isn’t the most competent intheir sport.

35. THINK ABOUT GROUPINGS
Be intentional about how you group girls
together – give girls lots of opportunities towork with different members of the team sothat they can start to feel safe with all of theirteammates. Safety promotes learning!
36. USE GROUPINGS TO BUILD SKILLSGroupings can also be used to help develop
skills. Parity helps drive skill development,so think of ways to get kids who are close inability to challenge each other. When there’s
a big gap in skill level, ask the more skilledplayers to help teach the skill to newer players

40. FIND OUT WHAT’S GOINGON OFF THE FIELD
Take an interest in what’s going on with yourplayers off the field. How are they doing inschool? What’s going on at home?
What are their goals? The more we know
about our players, the more strategies wehave to help support them as they develop
into confident players and people.

37. CELEBRATE A “GIRL OF THE GAME”
After a game or training session, present a“Girl of the Game” award to the girl who was
the best competitor – either with herself (e.g.
accomplishing something she hasn’t done
before), among her teammates or against theother team. Be sure to award different girls fordifferent reasons, not just the girl who scoredthe most points.
38. SET UP SOME FAMILY FUN
Encourage parents, siblings and otherimportant adults in each girl’s life to comeand play in a fun tournament with the girls.
Try and seek out as many female participants
as possible to be part of the experience(mums, aunts, grandmothers, teachers,etc.). The more the family invests in the girl’s
experience, the more likely she’ll be to stickwith it.

28

HOW TOTRAIN COACHES(PROGRAM LEADERS /COACHES OF COACHES)

29

HOW TO TRAIN COACHESPROGRAM LEADERS / COACHES OF COACHES
Now that you know what girls need out of their How to Focus on Progress, Not Outcomes
sports environment, how do you make surethat your coaches are delivering it? Below is a • Establish a baseline: Provide coacheswith the opportunity to reflect on where
list of four high-impact changes to consider as
they are starting.
you build a coach training programme:
1. CREATE AN EXPERIENCE
You can’t give what you don’t have. We findthis to be particularly true for coaches, whomost often coach the way they were coached.
And since we’re asking most coaches tocoach differently than the way they werecoached, they have to know what it looks andfeels like. This means modelling the kind ofcoaching we want to see. Here are some ways
to do that:• Ask coaches what new things they arecommitted to trying.
• Follow up: reminding coaches of the newthings they’ve tried and asking them, “How
did you do that?”
How to Let Coaches Compete• Model different ways to be competitive
during training (against a goal, as a personal/
team record or against another team).

How to Create Connection• Create fun competitions for the not-fun partsof coaching, such as turning in timesheetsor lesson plans on time.

• Ask questions: Start debriefs with questions,ask coaches to say more when they havesomething to offer, create structured
opportunities for them to answer questions
with a partner or in a small group.

And most importantly, if what we’re doing
isn’t working for a coach, then it’s on us asprogramme leaders to change what we’re
doing, not on them to “understand it”. If wearen’t reflective about how we’re setting up
the programme and supporting coaches, we
can’t expect them to be reflective about how
they are setting up training and supporting
players.

• Debrief or instruct in circles so that everyone
is at the same level and part of the circle.
• Treat our teammates the way we want themto treat their co-coaches and the way wewant the girls they coach to treat each other.
How to Encourage Coaches to be Brave,
Not Perfect• Always give encouraging answers – avoid
criticizing someone’s contribution and thankthem for sharing.
• Invite, never force, participation: allow
coaches to have some control over theirexperience so that they will allow players
some control over theirs.

30

HOW TO TRAIN COACHESPROGRAM LEADERS / COACHES OF COACHES
and leadership bias found that simply being
aware of bias is a critical part of challenging
those biases. Creating an open dialogue withcoaches, encouraging them to be reflective
and challenge some of the things that “havealways been done” (like referring to groupsof girls as “guys”) are good first steps. If
you have more time, you can kick-start thereflection process with an activity in thistoolkit or using other activities that help start
conversations about bias.

2. START WITH A COMMON LANGUAGE
If you can, it’s great to try and get all yourcoaches on the same page before the official
kick-off meeting or training session.
Having something to reflect on and referto ensures everyone is speaking the samelanguage and sets a tone that learning is
encouraged and expected.
Nike and the United States Olympic
Committee recently collaborated to build an
online coaching hub called “How to CoachKids” (howtocoachkids.org), with a series ofmodules that create this common language
and fundamental knowledge base. Encouragecoaches to take the “How to Coach Kids”
course and the “Coaching Girls” module toreally kickstart the season.

4. PRIORITIZE LEARNING
Like any educational process, coach training
works best when the conversation doesn’tstop after one session. Like athletes, coaches
flourish in cultures where learning isn’t justa bonus; it’s a fully integrated expectation.
Learning shouldn’t be one way, from
3. ACTIVELY RAISE AWARENESS OF BIAS
programmes to coaches. We can’t expect
coaches to spend time getting feedback fromBias is the natural result of the millions ofmessages we receive about the role of women their players if we don’t spend time getting
feedback from them. To really prioritisein sports. And it’s not hard to see why many
feedback is to do more than just send out
coaches (and athletes) arrive at training witha survey at the end of the season. It means
preconceived notions of women’s role andcreating feedback loops where coaches
value in sports, given that it’s only beenaround 50 years since race organisers tried to receive specific and personalised feedback
physically stop Katherine Switzer from running and are asked to provide the same kind of
the Boston Marathon and fewer than 25 years detailed, thoughtful feedback to programme orsince the start of women professional leagues, league administrators. Feedback can’t be anafterthought; it should be part of the season
and seeing as less than 6% of television
plan and implemented consistently in formal
time in the United Kingdom, for example,
and informal ways.
is focused on women’s sport . So, while it’snatural to have biases, we also know that
In order to best prepare coaches, we need tothese biases can impact the behaviour of acoach and interfere with their ability to create create as many experiences as possible thatreinforce the kind of coach we want them
the best possible sports experience for the
to be and encourage them to be reflective
girls on their team.
about their growth. Making small changes tointeractions – asking the right questions and
The good news is that simply being aware
sharing the right information – can have anof and reflecting on bias is a great place tooutsized impact.
start. A Harvard University study of teen girls

31

HOW TO TRAIN COACHESPROGRAM LEADERS / COACHES OF COACHES
These touchpoints don’t need to be resourceor time-intensive. They can be as simple
as text messages that remind coaches to
do something to help girls be brave andnot perfect. It can be as easy as replacing“What was the score?” with one question thatcauses them to stop and reflect on how they
supported or challenged their girls to takerisks, or one thing that really worked well (ordidn’t work at all) at training that week.

• Make trainings mandatory and, if applicable,
pay or incentivise coaches for their time. If
you work with volunteer coaches, incentivise
participation with an in-kind item likesportwear or food or the chance to win somekind of prize.

Programs might try some of the following tobuild good learning habits:

The best thing we can do to train coaches
is to think critically about how we want themto interact with their players. What kinds ofrelationships do we want them to have with
their players? What should their priorities
be? How should they handle adversity andwhat should they do to create supportive but
challenging environments? We have to start bymodelling all of these things in the ways that
we interact with them.

• At every meeting or training, ask coaches toshout-out another coach for something theysaw or heard about that the coach did well.

• Schedule a short survey of one to threequestions for a coach to receive by email orphone at the end of every training session,
where they reflect on what worked anddidn’t work at training. Run a contest with asignificant reward for the coach who has thebest response rate.
• Send a text message that reminds coaches
to do something to help girls be brave andnot perfect or another reminder from thebehaviour bank in this toolkit (link).
• Replace “What was the score?” with onequestion that makes a coach stop andreflect on how they supported or challenged
their girls to take risks, like “Who surprised
you today?”• Implement Think Tank Tuesday where
you share a video, podcast or article thatwould be interesting to the coaches andhighlights ways that girls and women are
defying expectations

https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/reports/leaning-out
Activities for addressing bias: https://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/tt_sports_gender_stereotypes_09.pdf(gender bias in sport) https://cultureplusconsulting.com/2018/08/16/a-ha-activities-for-unconscious-bias-training/ (general biases)
11

12

32

CONVERSATIONKICK-STARTERS: GENDER
INEQUITY IN SPORTS

33

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
One bias that we often run into with coaches
is that most people assume sport access is
closer to equal than it really is. Despite thebest efforts of international laws and policies
and the growth of opportunities at all levels ofsport for girls to play, we are still nowhere nearparity, particularly when it comes to leadership
opportunities and coaching.

STEP IN / STEP OUT
Set-UpParticipants should be standing in a circle orsquare (use the lines of the gym or field if you
can or set up lines using cones).
Introduction
I’m going to read a series of prompts to you,with instructions to step in to the circle if thefirst answer best reflects your experience,and to step out of the circle if the second
answer best reflects your experience. There
are no right or wrong answers and what otherparticipants are doing shouldn’t influence
whether you stand up or sit down. There
will definitely be similarities and differences
between your experience and the experiencesof the group. Try to notice some of those as wego, and we’ll talk more about it at the end.
We’ll be talking about single- and mixedgender programming and about the amountof time your gender identity matched with thegender identity of the other people playing onor coaching your team. When we refer to “yourgender,” you should choose the gender you
most strongly identify with.

34

This misunderstanding about the reality ofthe experience for girls and women in sport
can result in misguided assumptions fromboth male and female coaches as well as
programme administrators and parents.
One way to illustrate the differences between
men’s and women’s experiences is to let themtell you about it. Encourage them to reflect on
their experiences and see the similarities anddifferences by using the activities below:

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
Prompts• For this question, think about your experiencesin non-structured active play, like recess,pick-up games, or camp.

• For this question, think about your experiencein competitive sports – playing at playing at
school, university or professional level.

• Step in to the circle if most of the time (morethan 50% of the time) the majorityof the people you played with were thesame gender as you. Step out if the majorityof the people you played with were adifferent gender.

• Step in to the circle if, the majority of thetime you played competitive sports, yourhead coach was the same gender as you.
Step out of the circle if, most of the time,
your head coach was not the same genderas you.

• Step in to the circle if you were ever the only
person of your gender playing during a gameor activity; Step out of the circle if you were
never the only person of your gender playing
during a game or activity.

• Step in to the circle if the majority of the time
you played competitive sports, at least one
coach was the same gender as you. Step outof the circle if, most of the time, none of yourcoaches were the same gender as you.

• For this question, think about your experiencein structured youth sports (if you didn’t playstructured youth sports, you can just keep
standing where you are).
• Step in to the circle if the majority of the time
you played on a single-gender team thatmatched your gender; Step out of the circle
if the majority of the time, you played on
mixed-gender teams.
• Step in to the circle if you were ever the only
person of your gender on a team; Step out of
the circle if you were never the only person ofyour gender on a team.
• Step in to the circle if the majority of thetime, you played on a team where the coach
was the same gender as you; Step out of thecircle if the majority of the time, you werecoached by someone of a different gender.

35

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
Debrief
1. Ask: What did you notice?

Answers could include (and the facilitator
can help support participants consider
these assumptions):

You will likely see a variety of experiences, but
answers could include:• Assumptions that women and girls
don’t belong• That most of the men usually had
male-dominated experiences (if you have men
participating)• Assumptions that there are some things in
sports that women and girls shouldn’t do• That many women share the experience ofbeing in the minority (or even the only woman)• Assumptions that what motivates andchallenges girls about sports is the sameas boys• That many women were not coached by
women most of the time, whereas the vast
majority of men were almost always coachedby men (if you have men participating)• Assumptions that girls and boys want the samethings out of sport
4. Ask: What kind of impact could theseassumptions have?

2. Ask: If all of this is true, what does that say
about who sport is created for? What does it
say about who’s experience, boys or girls, aremost likely to be represented?

Answers could include (and facilitator can help
support participants to understand):• We miss opportunities to create the best sports
environments for girls – those that prioritize thethings that most motivate and challenge girls,
where they can develop relationships with other• Sport is primarily created for and caters to men girls and learn from powerful positive femalerole models.
and boys. When girls are primarily playing withor coached by men, their experiences may
It’s our job to understand that we all havenot be as readily represented as those of boys
biases and that those biases can influence ourand men.
behavior. To minimize any negative outcomes• Girls often don’t have opportunities where they that come from those biases, we have to keep
reflecting on our actions and decisions as
can be in the majority and have access tocoaches and commit to learning as much as we
positive female role models as coaches.
can about what research establishes, and more
importantly, girls tell us about what they really
3. Ask: If sport was created for and primarilyneed from sports.
caters to men, and women are not equal
represented in leadership or coaching roles,
what kinds of biases or assumptions might thiscause coaches (men and women) to make?
Answers could include (and the facilitator
can help support participants in seeing thesedisparities):36

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
Prompts• Have one group start their minute brainstorm
by providing words to complete the sentence“Male Athletes Are…”

ATHLETES ARE…
Set-UpSplit your group into two and separate themso they can’t hear or see what the othergroup is doing. If the group is mixed gender,
try and split the groups evenly. Each groupshould have access to some flip chart paper, awhiteboard or some other way to record theirbrainstorm. Assign a “scribe” from each group
who can write quickly and (relatively) neatly.

• Have the other group start their minute
brainstorm by providing words to complete
the sentence “Female Athletes Are…”
Have both groups bring their brainstorms backand share them with the whole group.

Introduction
You’ll have one minute to come up with as
many words as you can to describe a certain
group of people. Feel free to yell out youranswers, but also give some time to yourscribe to record everything. We’re trying to get
as many words as we can in our 1-minute timeframe.

37

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
Debrief
1. Ask: What do you notice about the two lists?

It’s our job to understand that we all havebiases and that those biases can influence our
behavior. To minimize any negative outcomes
Answers could include (but will reflect a variety that come from those biases, we have to keep
reflecting on our actions and decisions asof answers)
coaches and commit to learning as much as• That there are some similarities (ask the
we can about what research establishes, andparticipants to estimate what percentage ofmore importantly, girls tell us about what they
the activities they think are similar)
really need from sports.
• That there are some interesting differences(ask the participants to name which
words they heard exclusively on one ofthe other lists.

Modifications to this Activity May Include
1. Split the group separating men and women.
Have both groups complete both prompts andthen compare the lists.

2. Ask: Is it fair to say that we might have atleast slightly different perceptions of what
it means to be a female athlete and what itmeans to be a male athlete? (Participants
should agree) If so, what might thoseassumptions mean for coaches as they
approach working with girls?

2. Split the group and have both groups only
complete the “Female Athletes Are” prompt
to see how many of the words they use match
up what research tells us about what girls wantfrom their sports experience. Highlight words
that illustrate that girls are strong, they like tocompete, they are brave and try new things
and focused on connection.

Answers could include:• We have different expectations and maytreat girls differently• Our unconscious biases, which are normal,might influence how we behave• We might assume that the things that workfor boys will work for girls when boys andgirls may have different needs• We might assume that girls and boys havedifferent needs in cases where they actuallywant the same things

38

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
PAIR SHARES AND SHARE BACKS
Set-UpHave each participant find a partner anddiscuss one of the following questions. Oncethe pairs have a chance to chat with eachother, ask if anyone would like to share backwith the whole group. Follow up after you hearsome of the share backs with questions that
get the group to think about how different
genders experience sport.

• Now go through and circle each of thecoaches who were the same gender as you

Prompt 1:

Prompt 3:• Tell your partner about a time when acoach made a positive difference for you.
What did they do, what did they say, how
did it impact you?

• Think about the best coach you know
about – it doesn’t have to be someone who
coached you, it could be a coach who you
admire and who’s career you’ve followed.
Write down the top five reasons why you
think that coach is so great. When you andyour partner are done, talk about why you
think that coach is so great. Any similarities?

• Raise your hand if all of the coaches you
circled were the same gender as you. Raise
your hand if most of the coaches you circled
were the same gender as you. Raise yourhand if most of the coaches you circled were
NOT the same gender as you. And finally,raise your hand if NONE of the coaches you
circled were the same gender as you. (You’ll
likely see a gender difference with men
Introduction
having more male coaches; if your group isjust women, you’ll likely see some similarities
With your partner, take turns answering thisin that fewer of their coaches reflected theirquestion. Make sure you leave time for both ofgender, although you’ll likely see a range).
you to answer.

• Report out to the group about the impact a
coach had on your sports experience.
Prompt 2:• On a piece of paper, write down as manyof your coaches as you can think of. Onceyou’re done, draw a check or a star next toeach of the coaches that you would consider
a “good coach” – they supported you, youlearned something from them or you had agenerally good experience playing for them.
• Talk with your partner about whatpercentage of the coaches you’ve had inyour life were “good” coaches and why you
think they were good.

39• Report out to the group on any things yourcoaches had in common that madethem great.

CONVERSATION KICK-STARTERS:GENDER INEQUITY IN SPORTS
Follow Up Questions
1. Ask: Raise your hand if you were talking
about a female coach
If a small percentage of the room raises theirhands, ask: Do we think there are so few
women coaches because women coaches
are not as good as men? NO! Then why are
we talking about so many fewer great femalecoaches?
• Because there are fewer women coaches• Because the media doesn’t tell as manystories about great women coaches• Because most of us had more men as
coaches then women, particularly at thehigher levels of sport• We have biases that keep us from thinkingof women as great coaches
Debrief
Any coach can have a positive impact on ayoung person, but this difference in gender isworth noting – girls are far less likely to havefemale coaches than boys are to have malecoaches. And boys are even less likely tohave female coaches. This means that mostof the good lessons we’re learning from adults
are coming from men. Don’t we want our
kids to see women in positive leadership andmentoring roles?

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