Welcome to #womenswednesday; a weekly online discussion with female coaches from around the World!
In partnership with Project 500 in the UK, we pose a topic every Wednesday for to join in and send us your thoughts and experiences via twitter or our online coaches forum. Since it began back in October 2014, thousands of coaches have taken part and shared their thoughts about everything from gender stereotyping, coach education and even sports bras!
To see old topics and discussions, please CLICK HERE
We recently came across a new film being released in the US called “Coaches Wives”…it’s a great documentary about the sacrifices the wives of male coaches make each day to support their husbands coaching careers. It interviews a number of women who talk about their husbands careers and highlights in a positive way, the connection these women have with each other stating “no one else can understand what it’s like to be a coaches wife.” This documentary gives these women a voice and allows them to share their stories and the hard work that they put in behind the scenes.
Just for the record – we think this is a great documentary & we applaud the commitment and dedication that ALL coaches make.
“Coaches Wives” is a film about the women who share their husband with a particular sport – and the life that that sport dictates for them. Often ignored and under-appreciated in American sports culture, the coach’s wife is the unsung hero who must balance love, sometimes children, domestic responsibilities and other characteristics of being married to a man who has committed his life to coaching a team/sport at a competitive level.
This weeks discussion is not necessarily about this documentary – because we understand that wives of coaches do need to make a huge sacrifice to support their husbands….however, we want to ask, could this documentary be made the other way around and would a ‘husband’ sacrifice as much for their Wives coaching careers?
- Do men sacrifice equally for their coaching Wives?
- Has your partner given up everything to support your career as a coach?
- Are female coaches able to make as big as a commitment as male coaches?
- Are you single & worried that finding a partner will halt your coaching commitments?
Answers on twitter & forum
Coach Kiwi – Coaching is similar to being a mother, multiple personalities, abilities etc to organize so all works together.
Lisa Fallon – Yes, if you want equal opportunities, you have to make equal commitment.
Joanne McKinney – This is the same as any full time job without Dolly Parton hrs! The time you put in is more valuable so you become more efficient & get quality work done without procrastinating.My family comes 1st but work do not feel 2nd place.
Wendy Russell – I met my partner though my coaching and inspired them to take up coaching! We support each other to grow & develop.
Sarah Dwyer -Shick – Out with other coaches & their wives where does my husband fit? With the spouses or with me & the men I work with?
