Females Coaching Females Part 3- Why We Need Female Coaches

Taylor Jackson- Sterling Girls Basketball Coach

I believe there is a tremendous value of having female coaches for our female athletes.  I did not have many female coaches growing up but you can see the positive impact of females having the opportunity to be coached by strong female coaches.  We are seeing it play out in colleges across the nation as some of the top female coaches are having tremendous success from Lisa Bluder to Dawn Staley to Lindsay Gottlieb and Niele Ivey (some of my personal favorites).  These women represent all that women can be and that it doesn't have to look the same for each coach just like basketball doesn't have to look the same for each player that plays.  

I believe there is a lot of validity to the idea that representation matters.  When our players see female coaches, they see women who are passionate, motivated, driven leaders.  They can be strong and powerful and also be vulnerable and emotional. It is important for our girls to also see this in women and it is a great opportunity through having female coaches.  

When I took time off from coaching after having my children, it was a big decision for myself and my family to get back into the coaching world.  I knew that my family would have to make sacrifices for me to pursue being a varsity coach but each year they support my decision to keep coaching and love our team the way I do.  

Speaking from personal experience, my players see me deal with all the things that women juggle each and every day. I don't always handle all of it perfectly but I show up each day for my players and my family the best I can.  I always hope that they see this example and take it into whatever their future holds and they can believe that they can do anything they set out to accomplish.  I think every coach hopes to achieve this, male or female but I think our athletes benefit from seeing examples of female coaches. 

Andie Leibach- Retired Galesburg Coach

For women, strong female relationships are unique and, in my opinion, essential. One of my biggest hopes for my two daughters is that they have strong women in their lives. We support one another, we advocate for one another. My female relationships with my mother, sister and female friends have impacted and shaped me greatly. I turn to other women in my life for advice and guidance in all areas of my life. So, in terms of the relationship between a player and coach, why wouldn't it be important for a young woman to be coached by another woman? 

I have obviously had amazing male coaches, so I also would never advocate for males to not be hired, but qualified and passionate female coaches should be sought out and hired. Plus, seeing a woman in a leadership position will lead to more female leaders in athletics and other areas in life, which will benefit all. During my time coaching, I tried to connect with players so they could trust me and turn to me when needed. I think the fact that I was a woman on a predominantly male coaching staff gave the girls a different sort of perspective and different set of ears they could turn to, which I HOPE was meaningful to the young women on the team.    

Kiarra Kilgore- Galesburg Player, Class of 2024

Having female coaches can be incredibly impactful for young women in sports. My AAU coach as well as my female coaches during my junior and high school eras were very passionate women who served as amazing role models both on and off the court. They understood the unique challenges female athletes face and provided invaluable mentorship.                    

  

A female coach can relate to the pressures and societal expectations placed on girls. My coaches taught me how to have confidence in myself, while emphasizing the importance of supporting my teammates. They all created an environment where I felt empowered to be a strong, competitive player without sacrificing my femininity. 

 

There was also a special bond having a woman in that leadership position. They made me feel seen and heard in a way a male coach may not have. I knew she had likely faced similar obstacles in a male-dominated field. That motivated me to persevere through adversity. 

Ultimately, having a female coach allowed me to envision myself succeeding in whatever path I chose - whether coaching, business, or any other pursuit. Increasing female representation in coaching can inspire the next generation to dream bigger and shatter glass ceilings.

Lexi Demott- Galesburg Varsity Head Coach

I think there is something to be said about being coached by a female. I think that it empowers young female athletes to know they have the capabilities to do whatever it is they set their mind to. I have found that coaching high school females it has been easier for them to come to a female coach with an issue than it is a male coach. Naturally most young female athletes are going to feel more comfortable opening up about something to a female coach. 

I have found that there are times as well that I was able to notice an issue that the athlete was having before the male. I am not saying that males are bad people to coach young female athletes, but there are some things that male coaches just don't recognize right away because they don't think about it being an issue. I do think female coaches are starting to become a more common thing which is exciting to see. I hope that they are all able to feel the support that I currently have felt. 

Kaylee Miller- Galesburg Player, Class of 2020

There is much value in having female coaches coach women’s sports in matters of representation. Representation is important in terms of an innate understanding– an unspoken one, between coach and player. In perspective of player, the player has an understanding that their coach has lived similar experiences, and in perspective of coach, the coach has a first-hand understanding of what the experience was like.

Female coaches I had as a player had an impact on me because they are the person you ‘look up to.’ As a female player, having a female coach who exemplifies culture/ behavior can be crucial to player success because, as stated before, representation creates space for an innate trust.

What may be unique for a female player having a female coach is, and not to be redundant, but the shared experience. A female coach has lived a similar experience and can use the knowledge she has gained to improve the experience for her players. I would add that, as a coach, everything you do is communicative. Especially as a female coach, you must realize that your players, who, like I’ve stated, use you as an exemplifier, take note of how you behave. Because the players trust you, it is important to exemplify culture, create meaningful and genuine relationships, speak with intention, and give individualized attention to players. I believe girls, in a world that consistently invalidates them, need to know and believe in their capabilities, and that can come from someone (a coach, a representative of themselves,) can provide.

Antonia Kisler- Galesburg Player, Class of 2024

Having more female coaches inspire girls to become coaches themselves and even continuing their career in sports too. The female coaches are able to share their experience playing and be relatable with the girls. 

My mom was the first female coach I had that showed me passion for a sport. She taught me dedication and how to have a good work ethic. When Coach DeMott became my coach, I saw her reflect similar qualities my mom had demonstrated from a young age, pushing me to be the best athlete I could be. Coach DeMott showed so much passion for the sport and just wants the best for the players.

They provide a good role model for young girls to look up to. Just being relatable with the girls and being able to talk about their own experiences make the connection between coach and player better.

Michelle Wynne- Retired Coach from Knoxville, Galesburg, United

I suppose when addressing the issue of a lack of female coaches, it is telling that throughout all of my years of playing basketball I only had one female coach. The difference I noticed was the relationship and bonding experience with the female coach. In our post-game discussions, we would address any team issues: lack of cohesiveness, arguments between players, competitions for playing time. Our coach also talked to us about our siblings, our parents, our classes, and what we wanted to do when we graduated. 

From a female coach's perspective, I can also say that many of my players talked to me about a number of personal issues. The bond between a female coach and her players can be very strong and can be an impetus to developing strong, confident women.

Casey Williams- Galesburg Player- Class of 2015

In high school and in college I had male head coaches, but at both levels there were female assistant coaches. I think there is always going to be positives and negatives to both and a combination of the two gives great diversity. To this day I am extremely close friends with a couple of the female coaches I had as assistants in college. I think it is more often than not females are more emotional and vocal than males and that can create some separation. There will always be a different approach to coaching a female athlete because you really have to digest the personalities and attitudes you are dealing with and sometimes even approach/coach each female player differently. 

When you have a female coach, being able to have tough conversations can be easier or more fluid. Female coaches can relate directly from experience and I think women naturally know how to deal with female personalities and attitudes. A female coach may know the limits to how hard they can push a female player in terms of accurate potential versus what an athlete sees in themselves.

 

Basketball is a long season and there are a lot of personal things happening in your life alongside a basketball season and having female coaches makes you feel like there is someone there that gets it and you can confide in. I had a different level of comfort in approaching my female coaches with things that were happening outside of basketball. I think women in leadership have a more unique path versus males in leadership, so having that strong female leader to look up to is so important. The value and the importance of my female coaches are the everlasting mentorship and friendships I have created.

Shayli Florine- Galesburg Player, Class of 2016

A big positive for me in having female coaches is having someone who knows what it’s like to be in your shoes, trying to grow the game. They understand the challenges and pressures of being a woman in sports and have lived it themselves.

Riley Jenkins- Galesburg Player, Class of 2021

The value in having female coaches is they break the barrier of the stereotypes that play a part in coaching. They are able to relate to young women and play a part being a role model in young women’s lives. Women’s coaches are able to show their knowledge about basketball and pass along the skills that they were able to learn through their own basketball journey.