Staffordshire University logo
STORE - Staffordshire Online Repository

Women Rugby Union Coaches’ Experiences of Formal Coach Education in Ireland and the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study

BARRETT, Gareth, Sherwin, Ian and BLACKETT, Alexander (2021) Women Rugby Union Coaches’ Experiences of Formal Coach Education in Ireland and the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 29 (1). pp. 29-37. ISSN 1938-1581

[img]
Preview
Text
UK_and_irish_rugby_women_coach_education_experiences_(accepted).pdf - AUTHOR'S ACCEPTED Version (default)
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) .

Download (998kB) | Preview

Abstract or description

Although the sport of rugby union has expanded globally in both the men’s and women’s formats recently, there remains an under-representation of women coaches across all contexts. Research has focused its analysis on the under-representation of women coaches in a select few sports such as soccer. No extant research has empirically analyzed this under-representation within rugby union. This study addressed this research lacuna on why this under-representation exists from the perspective of 21 women rugby union coaches based within the UK and Ireland. The specific research objective was to analyze the coaches’ lived experiences of attending formal coach education courses in rugby union. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed thematically and conceptualized via an abductive logic against LaVoi’s Ecological-Intersectional Model and Pierre Bourdieu’s species of capital. Supportive and positive themes reported how the coach education courses had been delivered in a collegiate and lateral manner. Courses thus acted as settings where greater amounts of cultural and social capital could be acquired from both course tutors and peers. This enabled social networks to be made that were used for continual professional development beyond the courses. Barriers and negative experiences orientated upon the lack of empathy imparted by course tutors on account of men having fulfilled these roles on most occasions. Recommendations on how national governing bodies can improve the experiences of women coaches attending future coach education courses are discussed.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2020-0056. © Human Kinetics, Inc.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Bourdieu; capital; equality; marginalization; under-representation
Faculty: School of Life Sciences and Education > Sport and Exercise
Depositing User: Alexander BLACKETT
Date Deposited: 26 Feb 2021 16:15
Last Modified: 06 Apr 2023 15:08
Related URLs:
URI: https://eprints.staffs.ac.uk/id/eprint/6808

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

DisabledGo Staffordshire University is a recognised   Investor in People. Sustain Staffs
Legal | Freedom of Information | Site Map | Job Vacancies
Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 2DE t: +44 (0)1782 294000