Insights identifying and embedding policies, strategies and programs to advance girls and women in leadership roles including managers, directors, coaches, officials and volunteers.
VU experts:
Research, reports & insights
Industry insights
- Webeck, T., (2025, August 12). First women appointed to Vocational Members Council. PGA Australia. https://pga.org.au/news/first-women-appointed-to-vocational-members-council/
Industry reports
- Goorevich, A., Czinano, M., Gordon, A., Martin, S., Overberg, E., Stevenson, B., & LaVoi, N. M. (2025, June). Women in College Coaching Report Card: NCAA Division-I Select Institutions, 2024-25. Minneapolis, MN: The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport. https://wecoachsports.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-25_WCCRC_Head-Coaches_Select-7_FINAL.pdf
Research
- Gerasimuk, D. (2025). Understanding Barriers to Women’s Leadership in Sport and the Pathways to Change. Journal of Leadership in Sport and Management, 1(1). https://zenodo.org/records/15632988
- Mikkonen, M. (2025). Envisioning Institutional Change for Gender Equality—Women’s Perspectives on Fostering Gender Equality in Leadership Positions in Sport. Journal of Global Sport Management, 1-22. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/24704067.2025.2526064?casa_token=dXHoypKUJuAAAAAA:Ji5tPbJuUik1haB0UEcrJAkvvcbKIAHKxbAp1ASI0bfiqJm_njMVEUQl1tkGvUQ85ZXjChphtHHSwh4
- Owen, A., Robert, E., & Benneth, C. (2025). The Role of Anti-Discrimination Laws in Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Women in Sports. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394501480_The_Role_of_Anti-Discrimination_Laws_in_Ensuring_Equal_Opportunity_for_Women_in_Sports_Leadership
Industry reports on advancing leaders
- Deloitte (2025, March 18). Elite women's sports revenue to top £1.8bn in 2025 – Deloitte. BBC Sport
Industry insights on advancing leaders
- Sailing Australia (2025, March 5). Participation, Pathways, Podium and Beyond - Elevating Women in Australian Sailing. Australian Sailing Team.
- Government of South Australia (2025, March 7). Women in sport honoured through inspiring mural
Research on advancing leaders
- Hong, E., & Jeong, J. (2025). To survive and strive in football industry as a woman: An auto-ethnography. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 10126902251326206.
- Hofferberth, L., & Babyak, A. (2025). The Challenges of Female Executives in the Sport Industry: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study. Advancing Women in Leadership, 44, 2-14.
- Mbatha, T., van Rensburg, N. J., & Morris-Eyton, H. (2025). A systematic review investigating mentorship programmes for women in coaching and leadership roles in sport. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17479541251333931.
- Porter, J., & Spence, K. (2025). Navigating gendered display rules: Women coaches practicing gender through emotional labour. Sports Coaching Review, 1-13.
- Cowley, E. S., Marks, K., Moore, S., Olenick, A., Smith-Ryan, A. E., & McNulty, K. L. (2025). A Mixed-Methods Study of Women’s Experiences of Working in Exercise and Sport Science Academia. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 33(1).
Industry insights on advancing leaders
- Snape, J. (2025, February 12). ‘It’s pressure to not let people down’: Lydia Williams makes leap from goalline to boardroom. The Guardian
- Schneider, S. (2025, January 28). Schneider: Women’s sports provide an opportunity for start ups. SBC Americas
- Gornall, K., (2025, January 24). USA legend Holiday wants to change women's sport 'from the top down'.BBC.
- NA. (2024, December 14). IWG Celebrates 30 Years of Impact. IWG Women & Sport
Research on advancing leaders
- Boucher, C., & LaVoi, N. M. (2025). What Women Intercollegiate Coaches Say: Decision-Making Factors When Navigating Career Choices. International Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 4(2), 2.
- Hoye, R., Kappelides, P., & Baxter, H. (2025). The experiences of women coaches in community sport.
- Sports Coaching Review, 1- 21.
- MacNamara, A., & Collins, D. (2025). Women in Coaching and Leadership. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1573237.
- Smith, H. K. (2025). Women in Sports Leadership: Developing Mentorship Programs for Athletes Transitioning to Governance Roles.
- Schaefer, M. (2025). Update on women in sport and exercise medicine leadership in the USA. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Industry insights
Dadswell, K., Hanlon, C., Sambol, X. (2024, April 29). Most kids are only coached by men in junior sport – women need to be part of the picture, too. The Conversation.
- IOC. (2024, March 27). On a mission to tackle gender imbalance among coaches in athletics: Martin Johansen, an IOC Young Leader and a male ally.
- IOC. (2024, April 5). #GenderEqualOlympics: Advancing gender equality, diversity and inclusion among the IOC staff.
- Sport Australia. (2024, April 29). AIS program helping retired female athletes stay connected to sport.
- Dimmattina, N. (2024, August 20). Empowering women leaders in tennis. Tennis.com.au
- Basketball Australia. (2024, July 6). It’s one for the girls.
- AES. (2024, June 11). Learning from experience.
- Motorsport Australia. (2024, August 5). Women’s participation at all-time high at WASCC.
- Westerbeek, H. (2024, November 27). Without more investment and better leadership, the AFLW risks slipping back into the shadows.The Conversation.
- Sharrow, E., Staurowsky, E. & Davis, B. (2024). Play to Lead: The generational impact of sports on women’s leadership leadership.Women Sports Foundation.
- Snape, J. (2024, November 12). Australian Olympic sports risk funding cuts amid ‘glacial’ growth in women coaches.The Guardian.
Industry reports
- Hanlon, C. , Flowers, E., Mesagno, C., et al. (2024, February 20). What type of uniforms do women want to wear when they referee or umpire sport? Victoria University.
- Hanlon, C., Flowers, E., Mesagno, C., et al. (2024). What type of uniforms do women want to wear when they referee or umpire sport? National research insights from current officials and non-officials. Victoria University.
- Sport Ireland. (2024, April 12). Welcome increase in female representation on sporting boards.
- MacPherson, E., Principe, F. & Kerr, G. (2024). Advancing Women in Coaching: An Evaluation of Guelph Soccer’s “She’s Got Game – She Can Coach” Pilot Program. University of Toronto.
- Deakin University. (2024, June). Balancing the Board: Benefits of having gender balance on state sport and active recreation boards [research summary]. Change our Game.
- UK Sport. (2024). Number of women coaching in Olympic and Paralympic sport doubles since 2020.
- Women in Football. (2024, June 19). 89% of women in football have experienced discrimination at work, but survey reveals surge of optimism about gender equality in the game.
- Canadian Women and Sport. (2024, November 18). Canadian girls’ sport participation on the rise but still lags behind boys, according to new research.
- Australian Government. (2024, September). National gender equity in sports governance policy.
- New South Wales Government. (2024). Play Her Way: Championing girls and women through sport 2024 – 2028.
Research articles
- Taylor, D., Hanlon, C. & Dawson, A. (2023). Good organizational practices to encourage women high-performance coaches in sports. Frontiers in Sport and Active Living, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1287400
- McGinty-Minister, K. L., Swettenham, L., Champ, F. M. et al. (2024). ‘Smile more’: Women’s experiences of sexism while working in sport from a socio-ecological perspective. Sport in Society. DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2024.2321357
- Nkrumah, A. A., Aapak, D. & Addae, S.K. (2023). Professional experiences, leadership growth, and progression approaches adopted by women working within professional sports organisations in Ghana. Baltic Journal of Sport and Health Sciences, 3(130). 11 - 24. https://doi.org/10.33607/bjshs.v3i130.1416
- Gladstone, M. D. F. (2023). Career progression and experiences of late career women strength and conditioning coaches. [doctoral dissertation]. West Virginia University.
- Sambol, S., Dadswell, K., & Hanlon, C. (2024). Beyond stereotypes: The role of exposure in reshaping Children's biases towards women as coaches in sports. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 73. 102634.
- Santos, M. H., Marques, A. M. & Salvador J. (2024). Gender Asymmetries: An exploratory study of women’s experiences in Portuguese football organizations. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 14(5):1228-1247.
- Martin, I., & Bowes, A. (2024). The “cost of football”: Motherhood, coaching and work-family conflict. Managing Sport and Leisure, 1–16.
- Sheehan, A., & Kitching, N. (2024). ‘Is she married, single or available?’ Standing out and blending in as a woman working in sports media. Sport in Society, 27(6), 877–893.
- Gubby, L., & Martin, S. (2024). Sexism, abuse and threatening behaviour: experiences of women football referees in amateur and semi-professional men’s football in the UK. Sport, Education and Society, 1–14.
- Nicholson, R. (2024). Women coaches, professionalisation, and national governing body mergers in England, 1989–2000. Sport in History, 1–19.
- Chapman, M. (2024). Gendered communication in sports: impact of perceived gender inequality and tokenism[Masters thesis]. Youngstown State University.
- Cowan, S.M., Girdwood, M,. Haberfield, M., et al. (2024). You have to work twice as hard as a woman to show that you are competent. Experiences, opportunities and workplace gender harassment for Sport and Exercise Medicine practitioners working in elite sport in Australia. British Journal of Sports.
Industry insights
- Porter, J. & Spence, K. (2023, August 23). Unpacking the invisible, gendered labour of women coaches. The Conversation.
- Burke, P. (2023, August 23). El Moutawakel claims World Athletics Council elections pushed "door wide open for women". Inside the Games.
- Boxing Australia. (2023, October 10). Females take charge of the 2023 Nationals for the first time.
- Female Coaching Network. (2023, October 3). Women who coach.
- Motorcycling Australia. (2023, April 14). Exciting expansion for the WIM Women's Committee.
- Christie, V. (2023, July 30). Women supporting women as coach numbers rise in Australia. Tennis Australia.
- Kleyn, B. (2023, July 31). 'We need women and young girls to see female coaches': The push for gender parity by Brisbane 2032 for both athletes and coaches. ABC News.
- Ewing, L. (2023, July 17). Low in numbers but female coaches thrive at major tournaments. Reuters.
- Ordway, C. (2023, April 14). What can we learn from sport governance challenges? The Good Men Project.
- Berkeley, G. (2023, March 13). World Triathlon strikes gender balance in technical officials for Paris 2024. Inside the Games.
- IOC. (2023, March 8). Women coaches: Creating a pathway for future generations
- Roy, R. (2023, May 5). Female cricket coaches are in high demand in India after successful stints in inaugural WPL. ABC News.
- Lloyd, O. (2022, December 22). Konietzko promises clearer pathway to leadership roles for women in end of year address. Inside the Games.
- Shefferd, N. (2023, Janurary 31). LNOC launches women’s leadership in sport project New Miracle. Inside the Games.
- IOC. (2022, February 17). Women are finally starting to get the recognition they deserve, says Olympian and Simone Biles’ coach Cecile Landi.
Industry reports
- Piggot, L., Matthews, J. & Adriaanse, J. (2023). Analysis of career pathways of British postholders in international sport governance – Final Report. UK Sport.
- Australian Sports Commission. (2023, November 1). AIS pursues gender equity in High Performance Coaching.
- Hanlon, C., Dadswell, K. & Flowers, E. (2023). A guide for action: To encourage women from culturally diverse backgrounds as leaders in sport. Victoria University.
Research articles
- Taylor, D., Hanlon, C. & Dawson, A. (2023). Good organizational practices to encourage women high-performance coaches in sports. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1287400
- Chauhan, D. S. (2023). Women in Sports Leadership Positions in India: Issues and Challenges. Idealistic Journal of Advanced Research in Progressive, 2(08), 56–61.
- Mollin, A., Allen, J., & Henning, A. (2023). Legitimising and Delegitimising Women Coaches in the Golf Industry: Women Golf Professionals’ Experiences of Advocacy. Social Sciences, 12(11), 617. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110617
- Piggott, L. V., & Tjønndal, A. (2023). “It becomes a fight against who I am, rather than what I say”: Gender, positionality, and inclusion in esports leadership. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902231206652
- Strode, J. P., Czekanski, W. A., Parkman, A. W., et al. (2023). Stereotype threat and interscholastic athletic leadership. Sociology of Sport Journal. https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2022-0180
- Martin, M. H., Corr, C., Stokowski, S., et al. (2023). A phenomenological examination of female interscholastic athletic directors' career paths. Publications, 6.
- Leicht, A., Guy, J., Scanlan, A., et al. (2023). Influence of match congestion on activity and cardiovascular demands of elite referees during a national women’s basketball competition. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 26, S2, S173-S174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2023.08.084
- Tiwold, M. E. (2023). The perceptions of career barriers and support strategies for women athletic directors in Pennsylvania public high schools. [Doctoral Dissertation]. East Stroudsberg University.
- Porter, J. (2023). “Because We Care ... It’s so easy to exploit us”: Exploring emotional labour of women head coaches as invisible, gendered work. [Dissertation]. Brock University.
- Swim, N. (2023). Where are all the women?: Using role congruity theory to explore the experiences of female interscholastic athletic directors. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Louisville. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/4127
- Victoria Rawlings & Damian Anderson (2023) Girls and women in umpiring: retention and participation limited by hostile cultural contexts, Sport, Education and Society, DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2023.2223616
- Yang, J. Y. (2023). Professional Socialization and Glass Ceiling Perceived by Women Sports Leaders Working in Sports Centers in South Korea. Asian Women, (39)2, pp.47-67. doi.org/10.14431/aw.2023.6.39.2.47
- Gasparetto, T., Dietl, H., Nesseler, C., et al. (2023). When a woman replaces a man: evaluating coach dismissal in professional tennis. Managing Sport and Leisure. doi.org/10.1080/23750472.2023.2235363
- Mikkonen, M. (2023). Understanding gender (in)equality in leadership positions in sport: A multilevel perspective [doctoral dissertation].Tampere University Dissertations 819.
- Elms, R. (2023). Leadership development and effectiveness among athletic directors in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas Women's University.
- O'Brien, W., Hanlon, C. & Apostolopoulos, V. (2023). Women as leaders in male-dominated sectors: A bifocal analysis of gendered organizational practices. Gender, Work and Organization.
- Ordway, C. (2023). Gender equality achieved through crisis: Football Federation of Australia (now FA). International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics.
- Gerretsen, S., Chahardovali, T., & Brooks, S. (2023). Title IX and career pathways of coaches across NCAA women’s basketball programs: An intersectional approach to human capital in hiring. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 16(1), 25–53.
- Blair Hackworth, N. N. (2023). Exploring the lived experiences of black women athletic directors at NCAA institutions. [Doctoral thesis]. Abilene Christian University.
- Foster, L. (2023). Sport leadership to empower black women: A phenomenological exploration of inclusive leadership. [Doctoral thesis]. Texas Christian University.
- Timmons, J. K. (2023). A phenomenological study of the underrepresentation of Division I minority women athletic directors.
- [Doctoral thesis]. Abilene Christian University.
- Hotham, G. (2023). From the sideline to CEO: An investigation into women, leadership roles and Australian Rugby League. [Doctoral thesis]. Charles Sturt University.
- Pedo Lopes, A.(2022). “No Tits in the Pits!”: An exploratory analysis of the experiences of female decision makers in motorsports in the United States. (Doctoral thesis). University of South Carolina.
- Palmer, T. (2022). Women in Sport Governance: Perceptions of inclusion in Cricket in New Zealand [Masters thesis]. Auckland University of Technology.
- Patil, Swarali H. (2023). Building a platform for advancing women's engagement in sport. [Doctoral thesis]. The University of Western Ontario.
- Kiragu, P.K., Matheka, R.M. & Nyawaka, D.A. (2022). Evolution in professionalization of sports and the links to gender inequality in management of athletics and football in Kenya Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 6(8), 65 - 79.
Industry insights on advancing leaders
- Schoch, L., Clark, S. & Francombe-Webb, J. (2022). Editorial: Women in the history, culture and sociology of sports: 2021 Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4.
- IOC. (2022, September 30). Historic milestone: Equal number of men and women appointed by President Bach for positions in IOC commissions.
- SBS Sport. (2022, September 2). Yamashita determined to 'normalise' women referees after earning World Cup call-up. SBS.
- International Olympic Committee. (2022, May 25). Olympic Solidarity and International Federation launch joint programme to support high-performance female coaches.
- Berkely, G. (2022, August 4). Lack of female coaches a "massive challenge", admits New Zealand deputy PM. Inside the Games.
- Shalanla, A. (2022, June 12). There are plenty of pathways for women to become leaders in sport, but are they working? ABC News.
- Berkely, G. (2022, August 5). World Rugby "show the way" for bolstering female leadership, claims CGF chief. Inside the Games.
- Houston, M. (2022, March 14). Wrestling to be officiated mostly by women at Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Inside the Games.
- Buratti, L. (2022, May 9). Casey Reibelt wants women and girls to push the envelope in refereeing. Football Australia.
- Berkely, G. (2021, December 5). Sörling wants to "open door" for more female leaders after making ITTF history. Inside the Games.
Industry reports on advancing leaders
- Esteban-Salvado, M., Fernandes, E., Di Cimbrini, T., et al. (2022). Women and national sport governance: A European approach. Geosport+
- Canadian Women in Sport (2022). Women in sport leadership. 2022 Snapshot.
- Canadian Women in Sport (2022, July 27). Provincial and territorial women in sport leadership snapshot . SIRC.
- Black, S. (2021, December 8). Generation next: New program revealed to fast-track women coaches . AFLW.
- E-Alliance (2022, February 16). From the minor leagues to the Beijing Games, Canadian sport leadership missing the mark on gender equity SIRC.
Research articles on advancing leaders
- Trella, K.L., Games, K.E., Young, J.P., et al. (2022). Gender microaggression and macroaggression: Experiences of women athletic trainers. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 20(4).
- Augestad, P. & Hemmestad, L. (2022). Gender, care, and sport: an attempt to understand the deficit of women among Norwegian elite-level coaches . Sport in Society.
- Borrueco, M., Torregrossa, M., Pallarès, S., et al. (2022). Women coaches at top level: Looking back through the maze. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching.
- Plakouda, A. (2022). Greek women as sport leaders: Masculine, feminine or androgenous characteristics [Masters thesis]. University of Peloponnese.
- Cumming, D.M. (2022) . Out with the old-school: Exploring women hockey players leadership perceptions and intentions [Masters thesis]. University of British Colombia.
- Clarkson, B. & Phillippou, C. (2022). Gender diversity and financial sustainability in professional football: A competitive strategy and proposed interdisciplinary research agenda . Managing Sport and Leisure.
- Mikkonen, M. (2022). ' We are going in the right direction ... but we are not in ideal world yet': Understanding gender (in)equality within leadership positions in Nordic football governance. Sport in Society.
- Alsarve, D. (2022). Achieving gender equity: Barriers and possibilities at board level in Swedish sport . European Sport Quarterly.
- Keats, T. D. (2022). Gender and leadership in sport: Girl team captains . International Journal for Leadership in Learning, 22(1), 168-217.
- Borges Mesquita, I., da Silva C. A. F., Ghayebzadeh, S., et al. (2022). Are there opportunities for women as head coaches in Brazil's national teams? The case of handball. Motriz: Revista de Educação Fisica, 28(1).
- Cardoso, C., Barreira, J., Casline, L.S., et al. (2022). Gender inequality in table tennis: An analysis of women coaches in certification courses. Motriz: Revista de Educação Fisica, 28(1).
- Swim, N., Green, E. R., Hums, M. A., et al. (2022). Is same gender mentorship important for Division III female college athletes?: An application of the mentor role theory. Journal of Athlete Development and Experience, 4(1).
- Finn, H. (2022). Exploring the underrepresentation of women coaches in Canadian University Sport. [Doctoral Thesis]. The Univeristy of Western Ontario.
- Curvey, R. M. (2022). Herstory: Women's professional career experiences in sport psychology. [Doctoral Thesis]. University of Kentucky.
- Gonzalez-Cuevas, M. Y. (2022). Gender leadership imbalance in sport organisations in Latin America. [Masters Thesis]. West Virginia University.
- Hanlon, C. & Taylor, T. (2022). Workplace experiences of women with disability in sport organisations . Frontiers in Sport and Active Living.
- Knoppers, A., de Haan, D., Norman, L. & LaVoi, N. (2021). Elite women coaches negotiating and resisting power in football. Gender, Work and Organisation, 1-17.
- Cibibin, C. & Leo, I. (2022). The "queen bee syndrome" in sports federations: An exploratory investigation of gender stereotypes in Italian female coaches . Sustainability, 14(3), 1596.
- Park, J. & Willams, A. S. (2022). Perceived barriers to careers in sport and stereotypes toward women in sport: Exploring Division I female college athletes' experiences in athletic and educational settings . Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 15, 1-23
Industry insights on advancing leaders
- Australian Olympic Committee. (2021). Tokyo 2020 debutant Montag ready to tackle issues for women and girls in sport as IOC Young Leader
- Brassil, G.R., & Draper, K. (2021, Feb 3). These Women Were N.F.L. ‘Firsts.’ They’re Eager for Company. The New York Times.
- Houston, M. (2021, January 9). FISU vice-president Kabenge advocates for more female leadership. Inside the games.
- LaVoi, N., George-Williams, G. (2020, November 5). Tucker Center Talks: S2E20 - Women of Color in Sport's Leadership. University of Minnesota.
- Morgan, L. (2020, December 17). Paralympic gold medallist appointed chairperson of NWBA women's division. Inside the games.
- Okaemova, E. (2021, February 22). How women and technology are changing the world of ice hockey. Hudl, Agile Sport Technologies.
- The International Olympic Committee. (2021). Changing the world with rugby.
- Gillen, N. (2021, March 8). Tokyo 2020, IOC and IPC reiterate commitment to gender equality on International Women's Day.. Inside the games.
- Holmes, P. (2021, March 8). How female coaches can help bring professional men's football into the 21st century. The Conversation.
- Jeanes, R., & Rechter, J. (2021, March 8). Challenge who rules to change rules: Women, sport and leadership in Australia. Mirage.
- Rowbottom, M. (2021, March 24). Canadian Olympic Committee among nation's best workplaces for women. Inside the games.
- Shefferd, N. (2021, February 28). Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee expected to add at least 11 women to board. Inside the games.
- Football Australia. (2021, August 17). Legacy '23: Football Australia launches initiative to increase representation of women in coaching at all levels
- International Olympic Committee. (2021, August 7). A positive trend at Tokyo 2020 for female coaches and officials
- Kinnersly, P. (2021, July 1). If we level the playing field, we can stamp out inequality . Canberra Times.
- Le Grand, C. (2021, June 19). Urgent intervention needed to address Australian sport's 'uncomfortable truth' . Sydney Morning Herald.
- Novakowski, C. (2021, August 19). Young women rising up to lead . Sportanddev.
- Robar, J. (2021, August 6). Girls' leadership development through sport . Sportanddev.
- Rowbottom, M. (2021, June 13). EUSA Institute hosts successful workshop focusing on women leaders in football. Inside the Games.
- Sport Australia. (2021, July 30). Achieving gender equity in sport
- Stevens, M. (2021, July 2). Tenpin's women in leadership. Tenpin Bowling Australia.
- Felicien, B. (2021, November 9). How Black women coaches are pushing forward together in women's college hoops . Global Sport Matters.
- LaVoi, N. (2021, November 9). Women coaches face greater professional and personal obstacles than men. Global Sport Matters.
- Potter, F. (2021, November 24). 'You can't be what you can't see' - work needed for visibility, intersectionality in football coaching. SBS.
- Shefferd, N. (2021, November 7). Newly-elected ICF President Konietzko pledges to continue to "build the voice of women within sport". Inside the Games.
- Sport New Zealand. (2021, October 11). Sport NZ announces increase in female board representation.
- Australian Institute of Sport. (2021, September 9). New AIS programs helping to elevate women coaches.
- Hart, C. (2021, November 9). A-League Women welcomes record number of female coaches in charge. ABC News.
- Howlett, J. (2021, September 4). Supporting more female coaches in Tasmania. Tasmanian Government.
- Andrews, D. (2021, October 11). Supporting women leaders to excel on sporting boards. Victorian Government.
Industry reports on advancing leaders
- Boucher, C., Silva-Breen, H. & LaVoi, N.M. (2021, July). Head coaches of women's collegiate teams: A comprehensive report on NCAA Division-I Institutions 2020-21. Minneapolis: The Tucker Centre for Research on Girls and Women in Sport.
- Brown, R., Murray, P., Doran, F. B., et al. (2021). Women in leadership in Scottish sport. Observatory for sport in Scotland.
Research articles on advancing leaders
- Albu, S., & Grigore, V. The difficulties encountered by women in pursuing a managerial career in sports. Physical Education, Sport and Kinetotherapy Journal, 59, 543-553.
- Almvik, K. (2020). Why is there so few female managers in the administration of top football in Norway? [Master's thesis, Høgskolen i Molde-Vitenskapelig høgskole i logistikk].
- Entress Clark, E. M. (2020). Set Up to Succeed and Set Up to Play: Cooperative Games as a Pathway for Adolescent Girls in High-Achieving Schools to Be Well and Lead Well . [Master's thesis, University of Pennsylvania].
- Malseed, J. A. (2020). Leveling The Playing Field: Learning From Women Leaders In Professional Sports. [Master's Thesis, University of Pennsylvania]
- Baxter, H., Hove, R., & Kappelides, P. (2021). Female volunteer coaches in community sport: A scoping review and research agenda. Journal of Amateur Sport, 7(1). 64-94.
- Tsegay, M., Legesse, K., Ejigu, A., & Mathivanan. (2021). The status and challenges of women's sport leadership in Ethiopia national sport organisations. Psychology and Education, 58(1), 4140-4150.
- Badri Azrin, Y. & Pashaie, S. (2021). Relationship between social factors with promotion of women to management positions in sports organisations. New approaches in sport sciences, 3(5), 17-25.
- Hindman, L. C. (2021). Uncovering the gendered sport workplace: A field study in men's professional sports . [Doctoral thesis]. University of Massachusetts.
- Knoppers, A. Spaaji, R., & Claringbould, I. (2021). Discursive resistance to gender diversity in sport governance: Sport as a unique field? International Journal of Sport, Policy and Politics, 13(3), 517-529.
- Laney, J. (2021). Where are all the women?: Understanding the factors influencing potential departure intentions of women coaches at the NCAA Division III level. [Doctoral thesis]. University of Maine.
- Mbale, G. T. & Madalitso, K. B. (2021). Politics of gender in sports administration and leadership in Zambia . Journal of Adult Education, 2(2), 1-15.
- Miller, L. M. (2021). The Career experiences of women in senior-level leadership positions within Power 5 athletic departments: A phenomenological study [Doctoral thesis]. University of Tennessee.
Industry insights on advancing leaders
- Associated Press. (2020, May 14). Feaster becomes first female coach for U.S. junior national hockey team.
- Football Network. (2020, March 10). Playing to Win: A conversation on Australian female leadership.
- Gillen, N. (2020, March 9). Double Olympic gold medallist calls for more tennis coaching opportunities for women. Inside the games.
- Gillen, N. (2020, March 19). Number of women on ICC panels rises to 12. Inside the games.
- Houston, M. (2020, April 8). VASANOC helps hold inaugural women's sport leadership workshop. Inside the games.
- Houston, M. (2020, April 10). Schelling named first female general manager of top men's ice hockey club. Inside the games.
- Motorsport Australia. (2020, February 24). Australia’s first female deputy.
- Palmer, D. (2020, May 6). Five-time Winter Olympian Bajcicak lands cross-country skiing coaching role in Poland. Inside the games.
- Penney, So. (2020, May 15). ‘More female coaches’: Hockey on a mission to change gender imbalance. The Hockey Paper.
- Barker, P. (2020, June 26). Women's cricket trailblazer Connor to be first female MCC President. Inside the games.
- Emerman, D. (2020, July 8). The first wave of female football coaches is here. Heather Marini is making sure it’s not the last.
- FIBA. (2020, July 13). World Association of Basketball Coaches to feature Women in Basketball Coaches Clinics series.
- Gillen, N. (2020, May 28). Female membership of IOC Commissions rises to 47.7 per cent. Inside the games.
- Gillen, N. (2020, June 12). Allaster named as first female tournament director of US Open. Inside the games.
- Oliver, B. (2020, June 3). Fiji leads way in weightlifting with women taking more than half of Executive Board seats. Inside the games.
- AFL. (2020, November 13). Eagle becomes first Indigenous person on AFLW Competition Committee.
- Berkeley, G. (2020, October 22). Lack of women making key decisions will harm World Rowing's reputation, President fears. Inside the games.
- Berkeley, G. (2020, September 10). Boyd becomes first woman to lead Nordiq Canada's high-performance programme. Inside the games.
- Bowls Australia. (2020). Our future female leaders program participants selected.
- FIBA. (2020, October 14). F IBA focus on promotion of women referees in third cycle of Game Officials Licensing.
- Football Federation Australia. (2020, November 6). FFA Women’s Technical Advisor Rae Dower hails Football Queensland's first ever female only B Licence coaching course.
- Football Victoria. (2020, October 6). The Change Makers Project.
- Pandaram, J. & Linden, J. (2020, August 27). Rugby Confidential: Amy Perrett to referee Super Rugby match in landmark achievement for women in sport. news.com.au.
- Shefferd, N. (2020, October 30). Historic moment for volleyball as first female continental confederation leaders appointed in Africa and Asia. Inside the games.
- Sport Integrity Australia (2020, November 13). Sport Integrity Australia CEO David Sharpe calls for more women in leadership roles in sport.
Industry reports on advancing leaders
- Culver, D.M, Kraft, E., & Cayer, I. (2020). Nurturing Social Learning Spaces to Enhance Women in Sport Leadership Programs. Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching.
- Chance to Shine. (2020). Secondary school programme: Girls leadership through cricket.
Research articles on advancing leaders
- Ahn, N. Y., & Cunningham, G. B. (2020). Standing on a glass cliff?: A case study of FIFA’s gender initiatives. Managing Sport and Leisure, 25(1-2), 114-137.
- Banwell, J., Kerr, G., & Stirling, A. (2020). Benefits of a female coach mentorship programme on women coaches’ development: an ecological perspective. Sports Coaching Review, 1-23.
- Brown, F. (2020). Alarmingly Low Number of Women Coaches in College Basketball.
- Cannon, K. M. (2020). Exploring The Sport Identity Of Female NCAA Division I Assistant Women’s Soccer Coaches.
- Cyr, D. (2020). Changing the Game: University Sport to Develop Transformational Leadership Skills in Female Student-Athletes. [Masters dissertation, Royal Roads University].
- Darvin, L., & Lubke, L. (2020). Assistant coach hiring trends: an updated investigation of homologous reproduction in intercollegiate women’s sport. Sports Coaching Review, 1-23.
- Evans, A. B., & Pfister, G. U. (2020). Women in sports leadership: A systematic narrative review. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 1012690220911842.
- Gaston, L., Blundell, M., & Fletcher, T. (2020). Gender diversity in sport leadership: an investigation of United States of America National Governing Bodies of Sport. Managing Sport and Leisure, 1-16.
- Kentta, G., Bentzen, M., Dieffenbach, K., & Olusoga, P. (2020). Challenges experienced by women high performance coaches and its association with sustainability in the profession. International Sport Coaching Journal/ISCJ.
- Murray, P., Lord, R., & Lorimer, R. (2020). How the perceived effectiveness of a female coach is influenced by their apparent masculinity/femininity. The Sport Journal, 21.
- Pape, M. (2020). Gender Segregation and Trajectories of Organizational Change: The Underrepresentation of Women in Sports Leadership. Gender & Society, 34(1), 81-105.
- Ahn, N. Y., & Cunningham, G. B. (2020). Standing on a glass cliff?: A case study of FIFA’s gender initiatives . Managing Sport and Leisure, 1-24.
- Aman, M. P., Yusof, A., Razali, A. B., & Omar, R. D. (2019). Perceived Incongruity of Gender and Leadership Roles: Experiences of Top Women Leaders in Malaysian Sports Associations. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9 (11).
- Banwell, J., Stirling, A. & Kerr, G. (2019). Towards a process for advancing women in coaching through mentorship. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 14 (6), 703-713.
- Darvin, L., Taylor, E., & Wells, J. (2019). Get in the Game through a Sponsor: Initial Career Ambitions of Former Women Assistant Coaches . Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics.
- Pape, M. (2020). Gender Segregation and Trajectories of Organizational Change: The Underrepresentation of Women in Sports Leadership . Gender & Society
- Edwards, S. (2020). A Qualitative Study: Perceptions, Racial Inequality, Intersectionality-Underrepresentation of Black Women in Intercollegiate Leadership. (Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University).
- Gray, E. L. (2020). Barriers to Senior Leadership Positions for Women in Sport Management: Perceptions of Undergraduate Students and Insights from their Professors.
- Kraft, E., Culver, D. M., & Din, C. (2020). Exploring a Women-Only Training Program for Coach Developers. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 1(aop), 1-7.
- Semenova, A. (2020). Women’s leadership and gender equality in sport governance: FISU leaders’ perceptions.
- Chittle, L., Horton, S., & Dixon, J. C. (2020). Examining the Role of Relative Age on Leadership Behaviours among Female Ice Hockey Players: An Exploratory Investigation. Journal of Amateur Sport, 6(2), 22-42.
- Evans, A. B., & Pfister, G. U. (2020). Women in sports leadership: A systematic narrative review. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 1012690220911842.
- Mc Nutt, M. (2020). Understanding underrepresentation of female high-performance coaches in Swedish Sport.
- Siegele, J. L., Hardin, R., Taylor, E. A., & Smith, A. B. (2020). "She is the Best Female Coach": NCAA Division I Swimming Coaches' Experiences of Sexism. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 13(1).
- Valiente, C. (2020). The impact of gender quotas in sport management: the case of Spain. Sport in Society, 1-18.
Industry insights on advancing leaders
- ACT Government. (2019). ACT on track to reach 40 percent female representation on sporting boards.
- Australasian Leisure Management. (2019). PFA drives governance foundation training for professional women players
- Basketball Australia. (2019). Carly Wilson thriving in new coaching role.
- Bertoldo, L. (2019). Capital Football's appointment of Jodie Newall reflects gender-diverse soccer community
- Burton, L., & LaVoi, N. (2019). The war on women coaches
- Caldwell, O. (2019). Male-dominated sports organisations getting desperate for women, as time runs out
- Change Our Game. (2019). Balance the board
- Cricket Australia. (2019). Claire Polosak and Eloise Sheridan appointed to all-female umpiring panel for ICC Women's T20 World Cup global qualifier.
- Cricket Australia. (2019). Belinda Clark AO named winner at AFR Women of Influence Awards.
- De Haan, D., Norman, L., LaVoi, N.M., & Knoppers, A. (2019). Executive summary: elite women coaches in global football
- Doyle, P. (2019). Referee Stéphanie Frappart: 'Girls see me on TV and know it's possible'
- Etchells, D. (2019). Former IOC Executive Board member Ruggiero appointed to World Rugby Executive Committee.
- FFA. (2019). Kate Jacewicz and Ben Abraham appointed to Hyundai A-League Referee Panel for first time.
- Government of Western Australia. (2019). Levelling the playing field in sports leadership.
- Morgan. L. (2019). International Gymnastics Federation holds women's leadership forum in Saint Petersburg
- Polkinghorne, D. (2019). Katrina Fanning the rugby league brains behind Canberra Raiders board.
- SBS News. (2019). 'Nothing will change': more is needed to boost Australian women's referee numbers.
- Sport Australia. (2019). 2020 WLIS grants program open
- Sport Australia. (2019). The dial is shifting for gender equality in sport – just not fast enough
- Sport Australia. (2019). Talent Programs launched to challenge gender diversity
- Tasmanian Government. (2019). Fostering the next generation of female coaches.
- Tasmanian Government. (2019). Supporting women in leadership.
- Tennis Australia. (2019). Celebrating influential women in tennis.
- Water Polo Australia. (2019). First Australian female water polo referee nominated for the Olympic Games.
- Youth Sport Trust. (2019). Girls need more confidence to coach, research shows
Industry reports on advancing leaders
- Coaching Association of Canada. (2019). Female coach mentoring model.
- Government of Western Australia. Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. (2019). Gender diversity
- Level One. (2019). A snapshot of coaches in women’s sports in 2018/19
- Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport. (2019). Head coaches of women’s collegiate teams 2018-19. A report on seven select NCAA division-1 institutions
Research articles on advancing leaders
- A Gender Perspective of Sport-Based Entrepreneurship. In Sport Entrepreneurship and Public Policy (pp. 103-115).
- Adriaanse, J. A. (2019). The influence of gendered emotional relations on gender equality in sport governance . Journal of Sociology.
- Banwell, J., Stirling, A., & Kerr, G. (2019). Towards a process for advancing women in coaching through mentorship. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 1747954119883108.
- Cain, C., Cain, L., & Lough, N. (2019). Exploring strategies to improve gender equity in a masculinized field of study. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 100230.
- Cunningham, G. B., Ahn, N. Y., Anderson, A. J., & Dixon, M. A. (2019). Gender, coaching, and occupational turnover. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 27(2), 63-72.
- Darvin, L. (2019). Voluntary occupational turnover and the experiences of former intercollegiate women assistant coaches. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 103349.
- Davies, R., Potter, T. G., & Gray, T. (2019). Diverse perspectives: gender and leadership in the outdoor education workplace. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 1-19.
- Gomez-Gonzalez, C., Dietl, H., & Nesseler, C. (2019). Does performance justify the underrepresentation of women coaches? Evidence from professional women’s soccer. Sport Management Review, 22(5), 640-651.
- Hartzell, A. C., & Dixon, M. A. (2019). A Holistic Perspective on Women’s Career Pathways in Athletics Administration . Journal of Sport Management, 33(2), 79-92.
- Pape, M. (2019). Gender segregation and trajectories of organizational change: explaining the underrepresentation of women in sports leadership . Gender & Society, 0891243219867914.
- Piggott, L. V., & Pike, E. C. (2019). ‘CEO equals man’: Gender and informal organisational practices in English sport governance . International Review for the Sociology of Sport.
- Schull, V. D., & Kihl, L. A. (2019). Gendered leadership expectations in sport: constructing differences in coaches . Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 27(1), 1-11.
- Simpkins, E. (2019). Black Women in Sport Leadership: An Exploration of the Sport Intersectional Model of Power (SIMP) (Doctoral dissertation).
- Sotiriadou, P., & de Haan, D. (2019). Women and leadership: advancing gender equity policies in sport leadership through sport governance . International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 1-19.
- Wicker, P., Cunningham, G. B., & Fields, D. (2019). Head coach changes in women’s college soccer: an investigation of women coaches through the lenses of gender stereotypes and the glass cliff Sex Roles, 1-11.
