Situating Work–Family Negotiations Within a Life Course Perspective: Insights on the Gendered Experiences of NCAA Division I Head Coaching Mothers

Abstract

Despite the progress women have made since the inception of Title IX, many still face discrimination in the sport workplace. Given the assumption that time-use is gendered, the traditional culture of US intercollegiate sport stands in sharp contrast to the evolving notion of work-life balance. This study employed a qualitative life course perspective to examine the experiences of seventeen head coach mothers in NCAA institutions. Results focus on the participants' historical/social context, biography, relationships, interplay between these factors, and most importantly the role of administrators as life linkages. The results suggest that it is insufficient for managers to view the employee in isolation or to neglect the organizational culture in athletics. Supervisor attention to this, while time and effort-intensive, can impact employee well-being.

Experiences of Work-Life Conflict for the Athletic Trainer Employed Outside the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Clinical Setting

“…2,3,6,7 The experiences of WLC for the AT are comparable with others employed within the sports industry, including coaches [8][9][10] and sports information personnel. 11 The underlying cause of WLC appears to stem from the organizational structure of the work setting, including work schedules, hours worked, and job demands.…”

Perceptions of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Female Athletic Trainers on Motherhood and Work-Life Balance: Individual- and Sociocultural-Level Factors

“…Through professional socialization, a process that helps the professional understand what is expected and what is possible in the role, young female ATs will then witness women successfully balancing these roles. It is interesting that like ATs, female coaches struggle to balance work demands and parenting responsibilities 6,8 ; however, many female coaches find a balance, which helps them remain committed and motivated within their positions. 6 One possible reason could center on the support that athletic administrators provide to the coaches, as they are given increased freedom regarding scheduling that allows them to adapt to their families' needs.…”

“…It is interesting that like ATs, female coaches struggle to balance work demands and parenting responsibilities 6,8 ; however, many female coaches find a balance, which helps them remain committed and motivated within their positions. 6 One possible reason could center on the support that athletic administrators provide to the coaches, as they are given increased freedom regarding scheduling that allows them to adapt to their families' needs. 6 Whereas ATs receive supervisor support, they cannot dictate the times of practices, games, or conditioning sessions, creating a disadvantage in work scheduling.…”

“…6 One possible reason could center on the support that athletic administrators provide to the coaches, as they are given increased freedom regarding scheduling that allows them to adapt to their families' needs. 6 Whereas ATs receive supervisor support, they cannot dictate the times of practices, games, or conditioning sessions, creating a disadvantage in work scheduling. 2 Positive relationships and open communication between coaches and ATs may help improve this concern, but again, mentoring and role models may be necessary to help retain more ATs who are mothers.…”

“…[1][2][3][4] The field of athletic training, for the most part, is unique because these health care professionals work within sport settings. As are coaches 5,6 and physicians, 7 ATs are susceptible to struggling with WLB because of a myriad of factors related to the organizational demands placed on them. Dixon and Bruening 5 suggested, however, that WLB is influenced not only by organizational factors but also by individual and sociocultural factors.…”