In this Insights paper, we examine the continued decrease in the numbers of female coaches of high-profile sports teams. The decline in number of female coaches of high-profile teams is alarming, especially considering the increase in athletic participation among women. Because of this, it is important to examine possible explanations for this issue as a starting point for action and reform. We first detail several relevant examples of recent hires and firings of high-profile coaches in different countries around the world. Then, we briefly examine the relevant literature on gender representation of those working in sport. Using recent women’s basketball coaching changes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a case in point, we aim to demonstrate that the trend of decreasing numbers of female coaches continues. We believe the specific setting of college coaches represents the moral global issue of gender inequity in regards to high-performance coaching settings. Specifically, we argue that a three-pronged conceptual approach—cultural capital, role congruity theory, and homologous reproduction—can provide insights into the hiring practices of female coaches in comparison with their male coaching counterparts.

The growth and popularity of eSports cannot be understated. The domain has become so mainstream that colleges and universities are rapidly beginning to launch eSports programs within their athletics departments. In this study, the authors interviewed 33 student-athletes receiving scholarships for participating in eSports at one institution. In all, the identity and social capital of athletes in this "new" athletic arena were explored and compared with previous studies examining "traditional" athletes. The implications of the similarities and differences are discussed and ideas for future research into this emerging field are presented.

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The primary focus of this study was to examine the role family members play in the college selection process for NCAA Division III student-athletes. The role of family members in the college selection process has been studied for nonathletes, NCAA Division I athletes, NCAA Division II athletes, and at a cross-divisional level for specific NCAA sports. In such research related to intercollegiate student-athletes, research has primarily been conducted quantitatively with the use of survey techniques. Little research exists specifically exploring the role of family members in the college selection process for NCAA Division III athletes. Based on the lack of research, the overarching Division III philosophy, the pure participation rates of NCAA Division III athletes (more than 180,000 current Division III athletes), and the ideal fit of Family Systems Theory to this selection process, this research study is fitting. In this project, sixty-nine student-athletes participated in semistructured interviews at eleven different NCAA Division III institutions. Five prompts directly related to potential family influence were asked. Data were analyzed using open coding based on a priori and emergent themes. Responses are collectively summarized and representative responses are presented verbatim. Results are also discussed through the framework of Family Systems Theory and related back to previous literature on the role of the family in the college selection process.