A Proposed Organizational Model to Increase Women Coaches in Elite Alpine Skiing: Learning from the U.S. Cross-Country Initiative

Introduction: Despite the tremendous growth in girl’s and women’s participation in sports following the implementation of Title IX in 1972, women’s participation as sport coaches did not follow the same trajectory. In fact, women remain significantly underrepresented in sports coaching. Research highlights ongoing barriers within the sports industry's patriarchal structure, and although strategies have been proposed to improve women’s representation, the lack of progress over the past two decades indicates their limited effectiveness. A more comprehensive, multidimensional approach is essential to address this issue across the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and societal levels. Purpose: This study proposes a model to increase women’s coaches within U.S. elite alpine skiing by learning from the experiences of the successful Trail to Gold (T2G) program of U.S. cross-country skiing. Participants: Twelve participants, who participated in the T2G program (as coaches or administrators), were recruited through purposeful sampling. Eight completed the interviews. Methods: Part One involved a qualitative analysis of T2G through semi-structured interviews. Part Two used data from these interviews and the primary investigator's experience to create a model aimed at advancing women coaches in alpine skiing. Data Analysis: Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed by participants for accuracy. Data analysis was informed by phenomenological theories and the ecological model as presented by LaVoi and Dutove (2012). Key themes were identified using both inductive and deductive methods, with final themes confirmed by triangulation. Insights from Part One, combined with the investigator’s experience, guided the model development for Part Two. Results: Participants in U.S. cross-country skiing highlighted the importance of a supportive environment, robust networking, and effective sponsorship to advance women in coaching roles. Despite progress in women’s representation within their environment, barriers remain that hinder women’s advancement in coaching. Multi-faceted strategies are needed to target women’s underrepresentation. Significant progress requires that the NGB implement strategies that address gender imbalance at the individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels. The information gathered in Part One, together with empirical evidence, was crucial in the development of a model to increase women coaches within U.S. elite alpine skiing. Conclusion: This study expands the recommended strategies to increase women’s representation in sports coaching by learning from women coaches who work in environments that value and actively pursue gender parity. Continued support for women coaches is essential for gender equality, enhanced team performance, and a more inclusive sporting environment.