Coaching girls takes special talent

Years ago when I was publishing my magazine, I did an article on males coaching females.

I interviewed male coaches at the collegiate and high school levels. Why? Because there still was a preponderance of males coaching females and it was around the time of celebrating the enactment of Title IX.

Not much has changed.

According to “I Love to Watch You Play,” only 23 percent of youth coaches in the United States are female. That number is the lowest on record since 2012, and is down from 28 percent in 2016.

Coaches I spoke with pointed out certain areas of focus when coaching females.

Anthony Pappas, head girls’ basketball coach at Waterloo West High School for more than 40 years, said he was encouraged to accept a girls’ coaching position early in his career. He stuck with it.

“Males’ motivation is achievement motivation,” he said, “where females’ motivation tends to be more from a socialistic viewpoint — they want to go out and be part of a group. Girls want to be with their friends.

“I don’t, however, coach females on the floor, I coach people. I develop a knowledge of the person I’m coaching. I have to know what motivates them, how far I can push them, how much I can get on them.”

“I Love to Watch You Play” published an article describing how North Carolina head women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance approaches coaching women to help them reach their potential. The Tar Heels have won 21 of 31 NCAA soccer championships.

According to the article, Dorrance believes friendly competition drives female athletes to excel. He organizes activities encouraging “healthy rivalries, challenges players to push their limits, and calls on the ‘competitive caldron.’

“What we do with a caldron is we’re trying to figure out a way within the context of our practice to get everyone to compete like there’s no tomorrow….steel sharpens steel.”

He makes every aspect of each practice a competition and collects data. The stats are converted in order to rank the players and then they get immediate feedback, motivating players to compete even harder.

Dorrance also promotes a strong sense of unity and camaraderie within the team. He encourages open communication, sharing of thoughts, feelings and concerns without fear of judgment, thus creating a supportive atmosphere that allows players to thrive on and off the field.

He said girls perform better “when they feel connected to someone and something.” He gave up locker room “scream fests” for halftime speeches. His goal is to maximize stress during practice and minimize it during games.

“Girls play for each other and their coach because of the connection, not because of fear,” he said.

After each game or practice Dorrance holds individual meetings with players to discuss their performance, and offers specific insights and guidance for improvement.

“By encouraging players to be self-aware and receptive to feedback (a feedback loop)” he fosters an environment where athletes are constantly learning, adapting and growing.

He recognizes and celebrates achievements, no matter how small.

Finally, Dorrance has his players memorize 13 inspirational quotes before they complete their time in his program. They serve as reminders of their potential and importance of perseverance, aligning with the team’s core values.

Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and college sports information director. She is a partner with Outlier Creative Communications. Let her know what you think at njustis@cfu.net