Shaping attitudes: exposure to women coaches and officials

Research purpose

This research examined attitudes towards women in coaching and officiating roles amongst children aged 4 to 17 years involved in community sport, and their parents in Victoria.

Research was conducted by Victoria University, funded through the Change Our Game Research Grants Program. It was released in April 2024.

Research methodology

A total of 75 children and 75 parents/carers shared their experiences and attitudes of women as coaches and officials across 8 sports: Australian rules football, basketball, swimming, athletics, cricket, netball, rugby union, and soccer.

Each participant completed an online survey and a cognitive assessment measuring association bias towards women in coaching and officiating roles.

Out of the children who provided insights, 96% had exposure to men as coaches and only 65% had exposure to women as coaches.

Key findings

On exposure to women as coaches and officials

• Coaches and officials were dominated by women in netball and swimming, compared to being dominated by men in cricket, Australian rules football, rugby union and football (soccer).
• Across all sports, children were more exposed to having men as coaches (96% had men as coaches compared to 65% had women coaches)
• Across all sports, children were more exposed to having men as officials (100% had men as officials compared to 90% had women officials)
• Three in 10 coaches that children were exposed to were women
• Two in 10 children were exposed to mostly women officials.

On satisfaction with women as coaches and officials

• Children who experienced at least one woman as a coach were 3 times more likely to associate a woman as 'looking' like a coach or an official, compared to those without any experience
• Children’s satisfaction with having a man or woman as their coach was influenced by their previous experience of these roles – with a clear preference for having a woman coach in netball and swimming, and a man in cricket, Australian rules football and basketball
• Previous experience with having a woman as a coach positively influenced children's belief that women can be great coaches
• Children with exposure to predominantly women officials showed higher satisfaction with women in these roles
• Girls’ satisfaction levels with having a woman coach and/or official was higher than boys.

Parental influence on children's satisfaction with women as coaches and officials

• Children whose parent associated a woman as 'looking' like a coach were 6 times more likely to also associate a woman as being a coach (compared to children whose parents did not associate a woman being a coach
• Parents' satisfaction levels with men or women as coaches and officials was different based on the sport - with a clear preference for women in netball, and men in cricket, Australian rules football and rugby union.

Social norms on women as coaches and officials

• Children were 2 times more likely to select a man compared to a woman as 'looking' like a coach or an official
• Children were quicker to identify men as coaches and officials, compared to women
• This bias was less prevalent in girls compared to boys
• The older children become, the more likely they were to believe that women can make great coaches and officials. This finding highlights the importance of young players being coached and officiated by women. Such early exposure could be pivotal in shaping more inclusive views of what it means to be a coach or an official in sport.

What can community sporting clubs do?

Expose children to women coaches and officials

• What is the gender balance of coaches and officials at your club, and how are women represented across all junior and senior level teams/competitions? Do you have targets you are looking to achieve?
• Do children continually experience having a woman or a man as their coach throughout their junior pathway? If so, how can you provide them experiences of having both women and men coaches?
• Do your existing women coaches and officials include representation from diverse backgrounds?

Influence positive parental attitudes towards women as coaches and officials

• Does your club, and sport, equally promote women and men in coaching and officiating roles to the wider community, including on your website, social media and club newsletters?
• Does your club celebrate the achievements and milestones of women coaches and officials, including to the same extent as men in those roles?
• Does your club actively build parental support for having women as coaches and officials in junior sport?

Support more women to become and remain as coaches and officials

• Does your club have a commitment to having more women in coaching and officiating roles?
• How does your club provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for women to become and remain coaches and officials?
• Do you have a targeted plan to attract, develop and retain women as coaches and officials?

Download the full report