The Value of Mentorship to Women Seeking Athletic Adminstration

     Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, many doors have been opened for female participation in the world of athletics. However, research has shown little benefit for females striving to enter into the administration side of athletics – athletic director, associate, or assistant director. A possible solution to help remedy this fact may lie in a mentorship program. Bower & Hum found that “A mentor may promote a female intercollegiate athletic administrator by highlighting her potential or reporting her work on a project at an Athletic Board meeting” (pg. 6).¹ A mentor can commit to teaching important aspects and talents of the job in order to help create a positive reputation.  In addition, a mentor will seek to provide exposure and visibility for a potential female in order to create a network of administrator connections.

     So, what exactly should a mentor focus on in the tutelage of a prospective female administrator? Burton, Grappendorf, and Henderson discuss three areas that should be dissected: advancing women’s skill set, valuing women, and creating equal opportunity. Issues that are addressed include finding out why and where women are deficient in management attributes, creating value in a female viewpoint in administration, and possibly changing policy to acquire senior administration positions.² Thus, a mentor should ensure women are competent in numerous administrative skills through continuous study, research, and reviewing of case studies. Coincidentally, this knowledge will create a confident mindset in the prospective administrator which will be apparent to a future employer. A female should take advantage of everything a mentor has to offer and carry this experience confidently into an administration opportunity. Female athletic administrators already successful in the field need to step up and share their experiences as a mentor to those eager to follow suit.

          

References

¹Bower, Glenna G. & Hum, Mary A. (2014). Examining the Mentoring Relationships of Women Working in Intercollegiate Athletic Administration. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership         in Learning, 22:1, 4-19, DOI:10.1080/13611267.2014.882585

²Burton, Laura J., Grappendorf, H., & Henderson, A. (2011). Perceptions of Gender in Athletic   Administration: Utilizing Role Congruity to Examine (Potential) Prejudice Against Women. Journal of Sport Management, 25, 36-45.