Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1322152
www.ladiesgaelic.ie | WINTER 2020 | 49 RESEARCH Support at HOME "You have to have so much family support if you have young children it is actually really difficult." "I could not have done it ten years ago because my kids were too young. They have got older it is easier at home you don't kind of feel guilty and I have a very very understanding husband" Unconscious bias...EVERYONE "There is still unfortunately that negativity that the man coach is beer, the girls don't want it (female coaches)" "They always go over and shake my co-mentors' hands (male coach) and the co-mentors would very rarely say it is actually Ciara who is the lead mentor here" Confidence from playing "Girls who have children, that have never played football themselves, they definitely do not have the confidence to do coaching" "I started playing and that's when my confidence really started and learning the rules and all that and being able to transfer that then to the younger ones." Club Support & Development "We probably haven't built up enough of a coaching community in our club." "A lack of support with coaching and lack of direction and being le to your own devices". What were the main findings? • Women need support within the home, from partners, to initially start coaching and then to continue coaching, and this is especially true for women that have children. Those without children cited partners, parents and siblings as their main sources of support. • Those coaching their own children suggested that once their children are finished playing, they will finish coaching. • Confidence is key for women coaches and they linked such confidence to playing experience. • To develop as coaches, they want club-based support in an informal setting, to learn from their fellow coaches. They believe this will help retain current female coaches and attract more. • All 14 experienced gender bias at some stage as a female coach but they too were guilty of gender bias during the interview stage, when they did not recognise a "mom" as a coach in a video clip and instead assumed "dad" was the coach. Take home messages for EVERYONE involved in LGFA i.e. coaches (male and female), mentors, players, referees, committee members, supporters etc. 1. Consider your unconscious biases – Do you recognise the female as the coach or do you assume it is the male and think the female is perhaps in a non-coaching role e.g. administration, physiotherapist or the Female Liaison Officer (FLO)? Do you perceive a male coach to be a better and more experienced coach? Be conscious of the first thought you have and consider if it is biased – if it is try to change it before you act on it. 2. Take a chance – If you are a female with any interest in being involved in coaching, then do it! Get involved at some level and build up your experience and develop from within your LGFA club. 3. Give a chance – Clubs, fellow coaches (male and female), those in decision- making positions need to give females a chance to coach by approaching them and asking them to get involved. When they are in, you must give them a REAL chance by ensuring there are support and development structures available to them in the club. Next steps in this research To continue the development for volunteer coaches, and in conjunction with other stakeholders (Sport Ireland, LGFA, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick LGFA County Board, and Limerick Sports Partnership), a coaching community of practice (CCoP) will be rolled out in three identified Limerick LGFA clubs for the 2021 playing season. If you have any questions or comments relating to this research, please contact: Irene Hogan, irene.hogan@mic.ul.ie. Direct quotes from the women coaches below summarise the main research findings.