Challenges Experienced by Women High-Performance Coaches: Sustainability in the Profession
Open accessAbstract
High-performance (HP) coaching is a demanding profession. The proportion of woman HP coaches is reported to be in the range of 8.4–20%. Mental health concerns in elite sports have recently gained attention, but mainly focusing on athletes. Beyond coach burnout, limited attention has been given to coaches’ mental health. A recent coach burnout review included only one paper that focused exclusively on women. It has been argued that women HP coaches face greater challenges in a male-dominated coaching culture. The purpose of this study was to explore challenges experienced by women HP coaches and their perceived associations with sustainability and mental health. Thirty-seven female HP coaches participated by answering a semistructured, open-ended questionnaire. All responses were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, which resulted in two general dimensions: challenges of working as women HP coaches and sustainability and well-being as women HP coaches. Overall, results indicate that challenges reported might be common not only for all HP coaches, but also highlight gender-specific elements. Consequently, coach retention and sustainability would benefit from more attention on well-being and mental health among HP coaches.
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Seven of the wellbeing studies investigated wellbeing using semi-structured interviews.
“Seven of these studies investigated wellbeing using semi-structured interviews [10, 13, 24, 83–86].”
From The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [85]
Hypermasculine cultures have been reported to impact the mental wellbeing of elite coaches, particularly among those who identify as women.
“as hypermasculine cultures for example, have been reported to impact the mental wellbeing of elite coaches, particularly among those who identify as women [85].”
From The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [85]
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“This confirms both the findings of studies in the same context [49,50] and other professional contexts, e.g., [47,51].”
ResultTaylor, K. (2024) · Kinesiology Review · doi:10.1123/kr.2024-0048
Study of efforts to empower women in Japanese soccer,
Tai, K., HIRASHIMA, Y., Koido, M., Asai, T., & Nakayama, M. (2024) · Taiikugaku kenkyu (Japan Journal of Physical Education Health and Sport Sciences) · doi:10.5432/jjpehss.23094
Won, D., Chiu, W.-S., & Bravo, G. A. (2025) · International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching · doi:10.1177/17479541251320220
Burch, M., Scherer, R., Moraes, F. D. C., & Aires, L. L. (2025) · Caderno Pedagógico · doi:10.54033/cadpedv22n8-040
McLeish, N., Bullingham, R., Magrath, R., & Williams, P. (2025) · Leisure Studies · doi:10.1080/02614367.2025.2512740
“…sport has documented the structural explanations for this imbalance; this includes gender stereo-typing, gender discrimination, gendered hiring practices, and poor working environments, including stereotypical male culture (Burton, 2015; Greenhill et al., 2009; Kenttä et al., 2020; Norman, 2010).”
MENTAL HEALTH AND DISORDERS IN ELITE SPORTS COACHES
Colagrai, A. C., Augusto, J. B., & Fernandes, P. T. (2025) · Corpoconsciência · doi:10.51283/rc.29.e18644
Additional file 2 of The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.25203736
Additional file 4 of The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26679632
Additional file 6 of The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26679638
Additional file 1 of The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.25203625
Additional file 3 of The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26679629
Additional file 5 of The Mental Health of Elite-Level Coaches: A Systematic Scoping Review
Frost, J., Walton, C. C., Purcell, R., Fisher, K., Gwyther, K., Kocherginsky, M., & Rice, S. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26679635
Shibukawa, K., Ota, T., Kawata, Y., & Murayama, N. (2026) · Journal of Japan Society of Sports Industry · doi:10.5997/sposun.36.1_11
“I never take my coaching hat off”: examining experiences of time in women’s sport coaching work
Krahn, A. N., Donnelly, M. K., & Safai, P. (2026) · Sports Coaching Review · doi:10.1080/21640629.2026.2655571
It takes a village: women's careers in NCAA coaching
Boiarintseva, G., Grabarski, M. K., & Burt, I. (2026) · Equality Diversity and Inclusion An International Journal · doi:10.1108/edi-04-2025-0276
Bentzen, M., Saarinen, M., Ottogalli‐Mazzacavallo, C., Sogn, H. E., Boyer, A., & Niçaise, V. (2026) · Journal of Applied Sport Psychology · doi:10.1080/10413200.2026.2683962
Self-citation‘A mother is seen as less than capable’: mother-coaches’ experiences in high-performance sport
McHugh, T.-L., Jørgensen, H., Dimler, A. J., Kavic, K. J. M., Hancock, D. J., & Davenport, M. H. (2026) · Qualitative Research in Sport Exercise and Health · doi:10.1080/2159676x.2026.2704053
Belz, J., Hägglund, K., Tahtinen, R. E., & Kenttä, G. (2026) · Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology · doi:10.1123/jcsp.2026-0022
Self-citationBarriers and facilitators for female tennis coaches: A comparison between Africa and other regions
Marobela-Masunga, T., Pike, E. C. J., Martínez-Gallego, R., & Crespo, M. (2026) · International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching · doi:10.1177/17479541261479639
“Moreover, Kenttä et al. 14 noted that high-performance coaches globally face job insecurity and stress related to long working hours, but women coaches are particularly affected by male-dominated cultures that exacerbate these challenges.”
InfluentialLervold, K., Moen, F., Olsen, M., & Haugan, J. A. (2026) · International Sport Coaching Journal · doi:10.1123/iscj.2025-0106
Hayes, C. J., Petrie, T. A., & Lue, C. (2026) · Journal of Applied Sport Psychology · doi:10.1080/10413200.2026.2734456
McLaughlin, K., Wiseman, N., & Harris, N. (2026) · Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal · doi:10.1123/wspaj.2026-0039
- Authors
- Kenttä, G., Bentzen, M., Dieffenbach, K., & Olusoga, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NO)
- West Virginia University (US)
- Sheffield Hallam University (GB)
- Venue
- International Sport Coaching Journal
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2020-05-01
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 200-208
- ISSN
- 2328-918X (ISSN-L)
- 2328-9198
- OpenAlex
- W3014294803
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 10.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- urn.kb.se
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- International Sport Coaching Journal (publishedVersion)
- SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University) (acceptedVersion)
- Diva portal (Dalarna University Library) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sports, Gender, and Society
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Coaching Methods and Impact
- Keywords
- coach burnout, coach well-being, coach retention, elite sport coaching
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