Learning and Development Journey of Coaches and Assistant Coaches in the Brazilian Women's Basketball League

The underrepresentation of women in coaching and assistant coaching roles in Brazil highlights significant challenges. To address this issue, we conducted an analysis of the journey of coaches and assistant coaches (Coach Staff - CS) in the Brazilian Women's Basketball League (LBF) based on the Journey of Learning and Development of Coaches (JADT) model, which forms part of the Sports Development Model of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC, 2022). In order to gain insight into the learning experiences of female coaches in the LBF, a retrospective questionnaire was administered to four CS. The questionnaire was designed to elicit information about the coaches' experiences of learning and development in three key stages: 1) Pre-professional learning, in which success is strongly linked to the influence of family and friends, especially through their experience as athletes, offering other opportunities for their development; 2) Professional training, in which although they all meet the legal requirements to hold the position in the CS, obtaining the postgraduate specialization serves to highlight the importance of promoting greater participation of women in the sports environment; 3) Professional development, is evidenced by experiences in clubs, experience with women's Sport, and initial experiences in São Paulo and Santa Catarina. This trajectory is characterized by a lack of career development opportunities and the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of these experiences to facilitate enhanced opportunities and conditions for Professional growth.