Recruiting Coaches
Andie Leibach (Retired from Galesburg)- I think it is so important to get female athletes involved in helping with levels below themselves. For me, it started in high school as a basketball camp "counselor" and continued into my college summers. As with anything, experience builds confidence, so young women need to be given opportunities and experience with coaching early on. Female athlete leaders should be identified and encouraged as well as exposed to coach-like challenges.
Debbie Coffman (Bloomington CC)- Encourage young women, lead them. Veteran coaches be mentors if needed. I feel like every program should have at least one female coach on the staff. I hope that I am a role model for many as I have been coaching for 30 years, raised 2 children while coaching, and worked a full-time job away from school.
Michelle Wynne (Retired from Galesburg, Knoxville, United)- Schools can make sure that their coaches are hired on the basis of merit, not gender. I also think that school administrators often keep openings like social studies positions available for the hiring of male-sport coaches. There are also women who teach social studies and want to coach female sports. Schools need to support their female sports and treat them the same as the boys' teams. As much as possible, everything needs to be equitable.
Andie Leibach (Retired from Galesburg)- At the high school level, schools must provide equal facilities and support to any of the male sports. Schools should seek out and recruit specific female coaches whether that is by creating teaching/staff positions for specific candidates or being flexible schedule-wise for coaches who may work outside of the school.
Maggie Molek (Retired from Ridgewood)- Another major part of that is opportunity. I feel like young females are often time passed over for those head coaching positions and they are given to men. By getting more women into coaching at all levels and positions, more opportunities will open and more females will think those jobs are accessible. For three seasons at Ridgewood we had an all female staff of three coaches and looking around our conference and the area that is very rare in girls athletics. This past season I was one of only two female head coaches in the LTC for girls basketball and we both resigned this year.
Retaining Coaches
Taylor Jackson (Sterling)- Some female coaches leave coaching when their family has children might be the biggest obstacle for many in the coaching world. Our children are getting busier and busier while the expectations for coaching are growing as well. It makes it difficult for any individual in this stage of life because you will have to make sacrifices for your family. I feel very lucky that it has been supported & encouraged for my children to be part of our program. It has allowed my children to have unbelievable role models, see the value of hard work from our girls and see the time commitment from our coaching staff. As head coaches there are positives and negatives to everything but I do believe that my kids have been positively impacted during my time as the varsity coach. I also couldn't do it without the support of my husband (also a teacher and coach) and my family who helps in so many ways.
Andie Leibach (Retired from Galesburg)- Some female coaches leave coaching when their family has children. This is such a tough one for me and the reason I stepped away from coaching when I was pregnant with my first child. I very much have a partner in parenting with my husband, but "mom guilt" is very real. Also, as a nursing mother, I simply could not picture having an infant while meeting the demands of coaching and a basketball season. This is not to say that it cannot be done or should not be done. But for me personally, when I became a mother, I didn't feel like I could give both aspects of my life the 100% effort they deserved. There are simply more demands on women and working moms have even more demands. I'm really not sure what a school could do because every family is different and unless there is another parent to stay home with children consistently or extreme extended family support, childcare is constantly needed. I'm honestly not sure what the answer is other than just like everything else mothers face, that they just have to power through it!
Debbie Coffman (Bloomington CC)- Encourage female coaches to have a great support system to help with coaching especially with the young children.
Maggie Molek (Retired from Ridgewood)- I had my daughter in October of 23, three weeks before basketball started. I was very lucky to have administrators and a school board who allowed me to have my full 8 weeks of maternity leave off from my teaching responsibilities, and still allowed me to just go to basketball practice. This is very rare, in fact our softball coach who is employed by Cambridge was not allowed to do this (I work at AlWood). Many women are forced to take shorter maternity leaves in order to keep their coaching positions. I think if schools were flexible in this way they would be able to retain more female coaches.
My first year coaching with a newborn was a lot easier than I anticipated, my husband was able to come to many of our games as our daughter could sleep or eat anywhere and everyone wanted to help hold or feed her. I didn't feel like I was missing out on as much time with her. This year however was much more difficult. Our daughter does a lot better on schedule and usually goes to sleep by 7:30 which is the start time for most of our games. My husband was not able to bring her to as many games and there would be weeks at a time when I would see my daughter maybe one hour a day, or not at all. That takes a toll over time. If it was possible to start Varsity games at 6:00 instead of 7:30/8:00 I feel like more females may not miss out on as much family time.
Kimberly Barth (Washington)- I think being a female coach is hard. I talk about this with male coaches in the building all the time. As a female, oftentimes you have to carry a larger amount of work outside of work. Dropping off kids, picking up kids, getting groceries, kids sporting events, cleaning the house, arranging schedules. I am not saying my husband doesn't or can't do these things, but I feel like they are my responsibility and I want to be present for my kids as well. I think if we continue to build a culture of strong women doing great things, we can continue to work on this. It is not for the faint of heart, it's tough-not sugar coating it. But worth it for my kids to grow up in the gym with my athletes and see their mom accomplish her goals.
Better facilities, increased practice facilities allow coaches to practice right after school, so they can get to kids. I have to share a gym and often times practice later at night. Balancing that and missing my kids is one of the hardest things.
Nicole Brinker (Eastland)- Some female coaches leave coaching when their family has children. Is there anything that schools can do in providing some options to allow coaches to stay in coaching when their family has young children? I think that is the toughest thing. I have lost two assistant coaches (who were very good) because they had children and wanted more time with them. Luckily one of them went to the JH level to coach for me.
I have been a foster mom for the past 6 years. It has been the hardest and most rewarding years that I have coached. There is so much time away from the kiddos, especially when they are younger. Eastland is very good about letting me bring my kiddos with me to practice. However, the kiddos I have now are at an age that they require too much of my attention to come to practice. I guess the best option that schools can provide is an opportunity to bring the kids with to any practice, if possible.
Michelle Wynne (Retired from Knoxville, Galesburg, United)- I was coaching at Galesburg when I had my children. Coach Massey and the staff had a wonderful sense of family and encouraged my children to attend games. He was also kind enough to allow them to even attend the Bulls game. I definitely stayed in coaching longer because of his understanding of the importance of my family. The family atmosphere of his program was such a positive experience that I wanted my children to grow up in that environment. A program that creates a family atmosphere will retain female coaches.
Taylor Jackson (Sterling)- I feel very lucky that it has been supported & encouraged for my children to be part of our program. It has allowed my children to have unbelievable role models, see the value of hard work from our girls and see the time commitment from our coaching staff. As head coaches there are positives and negatives to everything but I do believe that my kids have been positively impacted during my time as the varsity coach. I also couldn't do it without the support of my husband (also a teacher and coach) and my family who helps in so many ways.
Kimberly Barth (Washington) A school could provide after care for children. That is one of my biggest challenges, getting to my kids before 5pm.
Going Forward
Andie Leibach (Retired from Galesburg)- I think the overall popularity of women's college basketball is going to help the future of female coaches as well. Seeing two female coaches going head to head in the National Championship game watched by millions will inspire so many young women to enter the field of coaching.
Maggie Molek (Retired from Ridgewood)- I think the big thing as of lately is the "See Her, Be Her" idea. I am hoping seeing more females on the big stage will inspire more females to get into coaching in the future. I think girls need strong female role models that show them they can do that job and they can be successful and confident in that position.
Part 5- My Thoughts
Part 6- Her Why Is So Inspiring
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