Everybody talks about improving the lot of Women in Coaching, but who is actually doing anything about it?
At the 2007 BC Coaching Congress we talked about it. And in Canada, a few organizations have been praised:
Rowing Canada Rhythmic Gymnastics Alberta Cross Country Canada Canadian Lacrosse Association Ringette Canada Canadian Soccer Association
This list was posted by the Coaching Association of Canada who provide financial support, mentorship, resources, and advocacy to Women in Sport.
Is it “fair” to give an opportunity to a female coach not available to a man.
No.
Am I in support of (most of) these programs?
Yes.
But only until historical inequity, especially salary, is corrected. Then we can dispose of all “reverse discrimination” programs.
In Canada our National Coach for Women’s Gymnastics is a man. In fact, all our National Coaches have been male.
But we certainly have high profile female coaches.
From the start, Carol-Angela Orchard’s 30-year coaching career has been studded with milestones. Nothing, however, matched what happened on October 21, 2006, in Aarhus, Denmark, at the world artistic gymnastics championships. For on that day, 17-year-old gymnast Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs smashed a seemingly unbreakable barrier when she became the first Canadian woman to win a world championship medal, the beam bronze.
Watching from the sidelines was her elated coach. “When she landed her dismount, I knew this could be the moment we had waited so long for,†says Carol-Angela, the head coach at the Seneca-Claude Watson Sports Program at Toronto’s Seneca College.
“I have always visualized one of our athletes standing on the podium with the flag being raised. It was such a wonderful moment for me when it finally happened.â€
more information – Coaching Association of Canada – Women in Coaching
Gymnastics Coaching.com 