American writer Mark Twain once observed, “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.”

This quote resonates when we consider the underrepresentation of female coaches at all levels of the coaching talent pathway.

It is an irrefutable fact that there aren’t enough female coaches. That stands unchallenged.

The statistics supporting this fact paint a stark picture. For instance:

• Between 2004 and 2016, females constituted only 8% to 11% of Great Britain’s Olympic coaches.
• Despite the Paris Olympics boasting equal numbers of female and male athletes, the number of women coaches holding coaching positions will not reach the ambitious target that UK Sport set in 2021 of 25%.

However, it’s crucial to remember that statistics can obscure the full picture and a deeper dive into the data is recommended to uncover the nuances and complexities that these numbers might be hiding.

For while the numbers are disheartening, they can be interpreted in a more positive light, illustrating a trend towards improvement.

Consider the following:

• The number of women coaching in Olympic and Paralympic sport has doubled since 2020.
• Latest figures from UK Sport show, across summer Olympic and Paralympic sports, 20% of coaches are women, up from 10% in 2020.
• Significant progress has been seen over only a three-year period. This includes a deeper understanding of coaching environments to enable a diverse workforce to flourish.

The Women Coaches Leadership Development CPD Initiative serves as a case study into the fine work that is taking place towards ensuring that female coaches are better represented in elite sport in future Olympic cycles.

Women coaches given a platform to excel 

The CPD Initiative evolved from UK Sport’s Female Coaches Leadership Programme. This programme ran two cohorts in 2021 and 2022 (44 coaches across 20 sports) and offered shadowing and mentoring experiences to prepare female coaches for supporting future Olympic and Paralympic champions.

In response to the coaches’ question of ‘what next?’, UK Sport, recognising the need for sustained support, convened a group comprising alumni from the Leadership Programme, around 20 new coaches nominated by their National Governing Bodies (NGBs), and 20 alumni from UK Coaching’s Elevate Women into High Performance Coaching Programme – demonstrating its commitment to addressing the needs expressed by the coaches.

The goals of the CPD Initiative aligned perfectly with the Elevate programme’s mission: to support female coaches to progress within their sport performance pathway and help them extend their role, profile, and impact. 

This synergy helped create a powerful new stage for change, where women coaches were given the platform and opportunities to thrive and make their mark.

The new CPD support initiative ran from January 2023 to March 2024.

It was founded on three priorities:

• Connect women coaches to build peer support.
• Enable knowledge sharing and generation.
• Develop coaches’ ability to navigate complex challenges.

Embellishing on these priorities, Emily adds:

“Its emphasis was on connection, sustaining a community of coaches, and giving elite women coaches a space to work through some of their challenges together.

Individualised solutions for diverse experiences

In addition to its foundational priorities, the initiative was also anchored by three key principles that shaped its approach and strategy. Emily explains: 

“First, it was designed with women, not for them, ensuring their active participation and input in shaping the programme. 

“Second, there was a clear commitment to sustained support for women coaches, with plans to continue backing their progress in the future. 

“And third, it was an opportunity to adopt a cross-organisational approach. Working together to expand the network, share expertise, and learn about the broader issues that women face in the places they coach and along their coaching journey. Working together we can support women coaches as part of the broader system change that is needed.”

A key aspect of this strategy was to ensure women’s voices were heard in the decision-making process.

“It therefore involved engaging with coaches through action learning sets to explore their coaching context and responding to the challenges they were bringing, rather than a pre-planned programme of workshops.”

As a CPD Initiative, rather than a programme, coaches were provided with a range of opportunities, offering learners the flexibility to attend what suited them, when it suited them. It was important that the offer was a source of support and provided resource rather than a sense of burden.

Expert support catering to the coaches’ needs

Coaches were able to connect, build knowledge, and develop as coaches and leaders by exploring and dealing with real-life situations in real time through a peer network that enabled collaborative problem solving. 

This was achieved by offering a blend of coaching observation events and action learning sets – where coaches came together with the specific intention of solving workplace problems, facilitated by three experienced mentors and four Olympic coaches – and online webinars delivered by 14 subject matter experts (academics and coaches).

“We responded to what the coaches were asking for, so the topics for the webinars emerged from the action learning sets.”

Support was offered by experts such as former British Judo head coach Kate Howey MBE, who delivered an online webinar on her experiences of working in multi-disciplinary teams, influential Team GB coaches Claire Morrison (Boccia), Mel Marshall (swimming) and Jane Figueiredo (diving), who provided podium coach observations, and Jess Thirlby sharing insights from her historic journey to the Netball World Cup final with England Roses.

The environment created and the methods employed cultivated greater confidence and a stronger sense of agency among the women. It facilitated the expansion of their professional networks and contributed to their skill development and self-awareness. Women were given the space to learn, reflect upon their experiences, review their progress, engage with their peers, and connect on a deeper level. 

“Collectively we created a unique network rich with learning and development opportunities,” says Emily.

Reflections and feedback from the coaches 

The invaluable feedback from the coaches speaks volumes for the success of the initiative and has allowed organisers to identify emergent themes leading to recommendations for future interventions and support. 

Consistently, coaches described notable impact across several areas: confidence, connection, capability, and value within their sport.

"What I am proud of is seeing the success through the initiative lead to success for coaches within their sport. Many women have embraced new challenges or taken on new responsibilities. Several women coached at World Championships and/or the European Games; some will be going to the Tokyo Olympics. Often these success stories were kept under wraps by the humble and selfless nature of the coaches, so I had to go searching for them."

Leading examples of how the initiative increased coaches’ confidence included:

“I have started telling myself what I would tell any of the other females I meet in terms of backing themselves, questioning/challenging and ultimately believing in themselves and their ability. If I can tell them, I should tell myself the same thing.”

Regarding connection, coaches described the relational support as the most prominent benefit. For example: 

“I now feel more connected to a group of likeminded women. I have been able to feel I’m not on my own in many decisions, thoughts and growth and have enjoyed the ability to grow and be vulnerable in a safe space.”

“The discussions I have had as part of this course have always been safe environments for us to discuss and explore new concepts and ideas. It has helped me to get a better idea of my identity as a coach and who I am and what is important to me.”

Coaches reflected on their increased capability in a range of ways. 

They described embracing autonomous learning by reducing feedback frequency and have begun to view themselves in a new light, employing reflective practice to transform their perspectives on their actions, behaviours, and emotions.

Exposure to top-tier coaching has sparked their curiosity, leading them to dive deeper into performance strategies across different sports. 

Finally, regarding value and visibility coaches described examples of increased responsibility, new roles and influence within their sport:

Emily is confident that success will breed success, and that the individual success stories that will occur through the insights gained from the course will translate to success in the drive for greater representation of women in the coaching talent pathway.

At the closing conference of the CPD Initiative, coaches provided insightful stories, examples, and perspectives through a story crafting workshop facilitated by an expert storyteller. 

The narratives offered further insight into the realities of the coaches and leaders currently working within the performance environment. 

“The storyteller encouraged us to share our stories in innovative ways,” explains Emily. 

“I wanted to use my platform and my voice to say ‘we are here, and we are doing amazing things’. So, I created a metaphor for my experience of delivering the CPD Initiative.”

The whole workshop was about helping women elevate their voices and shout about what they do. So often, says Emily, when women tell their story they feel it’s not valued or listened to. 

“We need to see women, we need to hear from women, and share examples of what is being achieved individually and collectively. These stories will inspire other women coaches and be a catalyst for organisations to recognise, support and celebrate women coaching.

Seeds of Equality: Nurturing Women Coaches in the Sports Landscape 

By Emily Handyside

In the vast landscape of sports coaching, I found myself moving to a particular patch, one where vibrant women coaches lay unnoticed like emerging flowers in the shadow of well-established plants. It felt overrun with weeds but still holding the promise to emerge and create a wonderful tapestry in the high-performance coaching landscape.

The women’s CPD Initiative enabled us (UK Sport and UK Coaching) to tend to this patch, sewing seeds, nourishing shoots, and shining much needed light on women coaches. Coaching observations, webinars, and action learning sets guided coaches through the intricacies of coaching, and I watched as they grew as a community supporting each other, and as they grew in confidence and capability. Coaches found their voice, overcame barriers to gain promotions, and developed their knowledge and coaching practice. 

Yet among the joy, there lingers a weighty burden. The garden of emerging and established women coaches was surrounded by the thorns of societal expectations and systemic barriers.

It was clear that my role was not just about nourishing and supporting the potential within each person, but also to wield shears against the thicket of inequality, clearing a path for coaches to thrive.

As weeks turned into months it continued to be a delicate dance between nurturing and battling, as I sought to provide a safe space for growth, while fiercely advocating for change where the behaviour of others invades like wildflowers that quickly consume the growth of women coaches, where policies and procedures are experienced like a heavy thunderstorm.

As I diligently and persistently tended to this garden, I realised that my role was both a gift and a burden, and it is a responsibility I embraced wholeheartedly. For in this small corner of the sports world (high-performance coaching community) we are sowing the seeds of a more inclusive and equitable future.

As the seasons pass, the garden of women coaches flourished. What was once a small patch is now an expansive garden, which we hope one day will be a sprawling landscape. With this growth, the garden feels overwhelming and too vast for me to tend to alone. I find myself in need of allies, fellow gardeners who share my vision. In coming together we can form a community of support, each bringing unique perspectives to the task at hand. With our combined efforts, we can help each area of the garden thrive like never before. Together we will have the energy to work tirelessly to understand and address the context-specific challenges that threaten to choke the growth of women coaches.

The hope is that as we work side by side, sharing stories and strategies, the garden becomes a symbol of progress – a living breathing testament to the power of unity and inclusivity. Our combined efforts enrich the environment and replace the sense of burden with a sense of possibility and belonging. It is a place where difference is valued and celebrated for the uniqueness it brings.

As we tend to the garden that is the coaching community, we understand that our work is never done. Like any garden, it requires ongoing care and attention to ensure its sustained growth and vitality.