Monday, March 8, 2010
Women and Coaching
Two weeks ago we were discussing Women's involvement in men sport program and the lack there of. I started to think about it more and more and discussed it with other athletes on campus. Women are comfortable being coached by both males and females. They believe that former women athletes can identically relate to what they are going through and their knowledge that they give will be beneficial on and off the court/field. Then the men coaching female programs, women believe that they can only get you better and amplify your game because they have knowledge from a fast and stronger style of play. However, men do not want to be coached by women. They feel like they have nothing to offer them besides the basic fundamentals, which they learned already at a young age. Men feel like even though men and women may compete in the same sport, men compete at a more physical and competitive level than women. In the athletic world, society won't let men feel inferior to women and their testosterone won't let them give in. The only time that you may see women as head coaches is in in a program that is dominated by females or in coed sport programs. Even though many people might want to see more women in the field of male sport programs, it is going to be a hard to change the minds of the testosterone thinking men and earn their respect. Do you believe that women coaching in an NCAA male sports program will be beneficial or detrimental?
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Adelle, you made some strong points about men coaching women's sports and women not having a problem with it, while women coaching men in sports just doesn't happen. I believe I have some reasoning for that; one, men have been playing sports since sport was invented, so sports have evolved into what men want. And second, women haven't been playing sports as long as men have, therefore women can't have the same kind of knowledge and strategy as men do when it comes to sports. I am not saying that women are less athletic or competitive than men, I am just stating the facts that women haven't been playing sports like men, for as long as men have. Those are the reasons why you see men coaching women, but not the other way around. To change this I think that women should take a stand against men coaching women, and start to evolve women sports into what women want out of sports. Right now with men coaching women, you get women playing a man's game, but if women completely take over their sport's programs, then you could get women playing a women's game, which could be completely different than the same men's game. So to answer your question, I believe that women coaching an NCAA male sports program would be detrimental to everyone involved because it just doesn't fit. Instead of trying to get women coaching male sports programs, women should try to take out all the men coaching women, so women's sports can evolve the way they want them to.
ReplyDeleteBen Ellis
KIN338, S6
I would not go as far as to say that a woman coaching men is "detrimental" in any way, i just feel it offers many obstacles. Being a football player my whole life, you really can make a connection with your head coach. It's like he is the father/ leader of all of his warriors. That relationship does not come automatically, it is something that is built over time. It starts during preseason weightlifting, summer practices, lockerroom talk, etc. If my head coach was a woman, our team, including myself, would feel innappropriate saying half the things we say in front of our male coach, its only natural. Another point is that a head coach must carry a certain demeanor about him, one that demands respect while keeping you on your toes at all times. Knowing the ringing you were bound to get if a mistake was made, kept us always doing our best, and i don't think a woman would be able to strike that kind of fear into a team of testosterone filled young men.
ReplyDeleteNick Andrade
KIN338I SEC01