By Molly Griep-Popowski
(May 5, 2025)
In 2025, I would have thought that being a female coach would have been what my 10-year-old self dreamed it would be. However, some days, if not most, it feels like I am swimming the English Channel with no goggles and climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen. I had hoped that as a former Division 1 female athlete, I would have a greater impact in helping other female athletes become the best version of themselves and helping other females become coaches in their respective sports.
With all the media coverage that women’s sports are presently receiving, females are still low in representation in leadership and coaching roles in female sports. But with that said, there are still many women behind the scenes, on the scenes, and not even in the headlines for their important roles in their sport. Seeing females in leadership and coaching positions that females desire certainly makes obtaining those positions a real possibility.
Almost every day, a male coach leading an elite women’s team is a no-brainer, but the opposite is seldom true. Though the pace of change of females coaching females in sports such as basketball, hockey, and soccer has increased, decades of underfunding, prevention of opportunity, and sexism continually slow the pace of change in a broader sense.
Female coaches in men’s sports are exceptionally rare. Soccer coach Helen Nkwocka, hockey coach Jessica Campbell, basketball coach Becky Hammon, and football coach Autumn Lockwood are examples of women who have managed to clear the hurdles required to break those conventions. An important question to ask is, “Why the unwillingness to hire female coaches?”
Female leaders and coaches would like organizations to give them a chance and provide an equal playing field for us to compete against. The reluctance to hire a female coach and break old habits within an organization is a frustration identified by many of those affected. Those in the decision-making process are usually men, and many do not even consider a female coach for a men’s team. For a big change to happen, it needs to come from the top. It needs to be from national and international sporting bodies as one key pillar to increasing pathways and opportunities for female coaching. When females do obtain these positions, it is important to provide support and continuing education.
When reflecting on the coaching conventions I have attended, I see and interact with a lot of male coaches dominating primarily female-centered sports. In my school district, there are two female Head Coaches, myself included, and I do not coach a female-centered sport. I am the assistant coach of the volleyball team, and my head coach is a male who does a great job and knows that female coaches are few and far between. I am the head coach of our Track and Field team and I am in charge of both the boys’ and girls’ teams. Otherwise, our girls’ sports are dominated by male coaches.
There are many female physical education teachers and coaches, but not a great network or support system to connect us regularly. Yes, there is Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc., but those are just highlight reels. I want to meet in person with another female physical education teacher in a similar school, class sizes, budget, storage space, etc., and who plans her curriculum and makes her bulletin boards and March Madness posters because they can never find something online that they like or would spend money on. As female coaches, we need these strong communities to help counteract obstacles like gender discrimination, burnout, and societal expectations, all of which hinder career advancement. When schools, organizations, and big-time sport programs start hiring more women and diverse groups of coaches, they bring different perspectives and voices to the table. This brings change that influences program evolution and decision making and helps attract more athletes to your program, and only makes your team and program stronger.
Female coaches tend to have to advocate for themselves, their sport, and others more than their male counterparts. I feel that at times, especially when in the sport of volleyball that I am always explaining to my male counterpart coaches what a spike is, what the rotation means, why this player is only playing the front, or why this player only plays the back, or why this girl has a different color jersey. But when I go to a basketball game, golf match, or football game I have the basic understanding of the rules, and if I don’t, I sure as heck am going to figure it out and not have the famous line I hear all the time, “Well it’s just volleyball, you’ll figure it out.”
It is mind-boggling that we still are fighting the good fight and have advocacy groups in 2025 fighting gender bias, equal pay, and recognition within their organizations and the broader sports industry. I think back to situations I have been put in as a female head coach. I have had to stand up for my athletes and gym space when we have been stuck inside because of bad weather. Our administration has put it on my shoulders to talk to the other coaches to figure out the gym space, when in my eyes, that is completely their job as administration to figure out that.
I think how huge the impact would have on young women in sports, having the same aspirations as I had and still have. Female coaches can positively impact athletes, particularly female athletes, by providing role models and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where they can be themselves. Having more female coaches in female sports can lead female athletes to aspire to excel in leadership roles and sports. This helps girls develop their own identities, aspirations, and skill sets both on and off the field or court.
Having female coaches can lead to long-term participation. Positive experiences with female coaches can encourage young girls to continue participating in sports throughout their lives, leading to improved physical health, mental well-being, and social connections. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to become a coach and a physical education teacher was because of my high school basketball coach. She believed in me and took the abilities I had as a young freshman and believed in me enough to put me on the varsity basketball team. I would have never believed in myself more than she believed in me. She is one of my biggest supporters to this day and still helps me plan and brainstorm lesson plans for physical education classes.
With all this being said, I still believe with my whole heart that coaching is a space that I belong in. I will continue to advocate for myself, others, and my female athletes for better conditions, equal opportunities, and fair treatment. Like the famous quote says, “Everyone Is Watching Women’s Sports.”
Some tips or words of advice from a female coach who battles this uphill climb daily are as follows: have a great support system outside of your sport, which could include friends, family, and other coaches in other sports. Doing your research, like listening to podcasts, reading books on your sport, going to coaching conventions during the summer, and talking to other coaches in your sport. Lastly, being your own biggest advocate for yourself and your athletes. Stand up for what you know is right and right for the student-athletes you are coaching. You will never go wrong with staying true to your moral compass and following your gut. We need more females in coaching, and truly, the future of coaching is female.
