Examining the Leadership Style and Sustainability of Two Female Head Coaches at a Southeastern Land-Grant University

Abstract

Reflection on the influences and experiences of successful female head coaches of women sports is important to understanding the factors that have enabled them to obtain and sustain their leadership positions in a male-dominated profession. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of two female head coaches at a Southeastern land-grant university and to understand how they have sustained their role as a head coach in a world where female coaches are significantly declining. The specific objectives of this research were to: (a) understand female head coaches’ knowledge of what a land-grant institution was created for and if its purpose affects the way they coach; (b) determine how female head coaches sustain their title as head coach; and (c) determine the female head coaches’ preferred leadership style.