Does performance justify the underrepresentation of women coaches? Evidence from professional women’s soccer

Publication date: Available online 12 October 2018Source: Sport Management ReviewAuthor(s): Carlos Gomez-Gonzalez, Helmut Dietl, Cornel NesselerAbstractIn this paper, the authors empirically analyze the influence of the gender of the coach on team performance in women’s soccer leagues. Moreover, the authors examine the role of initial experience of coaches (as professional players) as an attribute that converges with gender diversity and influence performance. The sample includes the top divisions in France, Germany, and Norway from 2004 to 2017. The results from the regression model show that the gender of the coach is not a significant determinant of team performance (points per game). In addition, the initial experience of coaches does not alter the results. Therefore, managerial decisions of clubs with regard to the employment of coaches should not rely on gender.
Source: Sport Management Review - Category: Sports Medicine Source Type: research