Gender disparity for women in collegiate sport administrative positions, examining candidate pools and the selection process

While Title IX has been monumental in creating more opportunities for females playing college sports, an unforeseen consequence of Title IX has been the decrease of women coaches and administrators at the collegiate level. Prior to Title IX, 90 percent of women’s collegiate teams were coached by females; today that number is just 43 percent. What accounts for this decrease in the percentage of women coaches at the collegiate level? Research has suggested that there are cultural and social mechanisms in place, exposing the gender inequalities that women face in male dominate sport administrative positions. The focus of this inquiry is to examine the formation of candidate pools and the selection process and attempt to find solutions to a gendered balance workforce. Regardless of the cause, to what extent should college administrations be held accountable for responding to social influences on the gendered construction of their applicant pool, and what, if anything, should they do to incorporate changes to improve gender balance in athletic leadership?M.A.Includes bibliographical referencesby Annette Reite