Abstract

This study, using a qualitative approach, examines the impact of patriarchy on females who coach a male-dominated sports team. The purpose of the study is to identify and examine the experiences of females who coach a male-dominated sports team in order to have a better understanding of the impact of the gender binary and patriarchy in the sport field. A qualitative approach was used in this study to gain an understanding of the individual and commonality of the experiences of women coaches. There were five female coaches interviewed; one was a high school basketball coach, two were high school football coaches, one was a coach at the collegiate level, and the last one was a coach at the professional level. The data from the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to find patterns and themes across the interview responses to determine the results of the study. The study had four findings: (1) female coaches are often questioned of their qualifications through the public, (2) female coaches experience and hear derogatory comments such as sexual harassment remarks, (3) female coaches have limited problems with their male athletes and (4) female coaches have had a great experience overall coaching the male athletes. This study contributes to the limited research examining the experiences of females who coach male athletes and how they manage patriarchy while coaching. Therefore, an implication of this study is that it provides insights on how patriarchy impacts females who coach male-dominated sports.

Advisor

Christopher Brown

Committee Member

Kristen Treinen

Committee Member

Suzannah Armentrout

Date of Degree

2018

Language

english

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

College

Arts and Humanities

Recommended Citation

Shearer, E. (2018). The Harsh Reality: A Feminist Perspective on the Experiences of Women Coaching Male Athletes [Master’s thesis, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/797/