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Dealing with gender bias: Does sex matter in coaching a team?
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“I don't know, should opposite genders be hanging out in the locker room? Should a man be coaching in your daughters Lacrosse locker room?” says one commentator on the poll.
Actually, there are plenty of male coaches who coach women’s teams. East Providence High School had male coaches for the women’s soccer team, both for varsity and junior varsity. Also, women’s track had two male coaches, one for runners and another for throwers. The head coach for women’s basketball was also a male coach also at East Providence High School at one point in time. Plenty of high schools, junior high schools, middle schools, colleges and universities have opposite sex coaches.
The problem seems to be not that male coaches coach the women’s team, but that the female coaches coach men’s teams. Does it really matter?
Some may argue that it’s not because of the locker room, but that can a woman teach a man to be tough? When sports were taught at an early age, it was about learning skills and having fun. It should still apply even today, even if you are getting a scholarship or getting paid to do it. Besides, it’s not about being tough. If you don’t have the skills, then no matter how strong you are, it’s not going to mean anything if you don’t know how to hit a puck or shoot a ball.
It is really sad that in 2009 people are still caring about gender in sports. The issue should be whether or not a person can coach, do they have people skills and can they deal with a crisis. It shouldn’t be Billy vs. Bobby anymore.
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