Off the Sideline: Working with Female Athletes Who Take on Barriers in Professional Sports

Kelsea Offner and Dr. Michele Kerulis

(edited by Alexandra Tapak)

Women have been working to establish equal ground in sports for decades. In 1972 Title IX, a federal law about gender equality in education, resulted in more opportunities for women in college sports. Some argue that Title IX has taken opportunities away from men’s teams; it is clear that women, at times, will still need additional support and advocacy to be successful in sports. While Title IX is specific to college sports, additional attention is being paid to professional sports. Sport psychology consultants can act as equal representation advocates for athletes who are taking steps to break the barriers that separate men and women in professional sports.

            Men’s professional football has been around since before the turn of the 20^th century, and recently women have begun to step into the professional football light and are continuously making history. Female athletes are increasingly taking on male-dominated sports, even after encountering a number of constraints on their participation (Migliaccio & Berg, 2007). Although there have been significant increases in athletic opportunities for women in the past decades, there are limited competitive and professional opportunities for women participating in traditionally masculine sports (Beaudoin, 2006). With the increasing number of female athletes in male-dominated professional sports, such as tackle football, we may soon see an increase in the demand for sport psychology consultants to work with these athletes.

            Whereas men’s professional football is associated with million-dollar contracts and endorsements, athletes participating in the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) and the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) struggle to find sponsors to donate money in order to obtain funds for a single season. The women in these leagues do not have the privilege to stay in five-star hotels after getting off of planes before their games as men’s professional teams do.  Many IWFL and WFA athletes have full-time jobs that leave little room for practice and traveling to games. It is important to remember the obstacles that female athletes continuously face. Jennifer Welter is one woman who breaks through these gender-stereotype barriers.  

Welter is the first female running back to play on a men’s professional indoor football team, the Texas Revolution. Welter, though not an official member on the Revolution’s roster, has taken steps to close the gap between male and female professional athletes. Sport psychology consultants working with female professional football players on all-male football teams may find that working through gender stereotypes in sport is a demanding task. It is our recommendation that sport psychology consultants focus on assisting female athletes in resisting the institutionalized gender norms. It is crucial for athletes to have strong, well-organized support systems when they go against the societal gender norms as female athletes provide evidence that they too, belong on the field (Packard, 2009). It is important for sport psychology consultants to act as advocates and stand with athletes when facing these boundaries. Working with athletes who are pushing the boundaries and resisting social norms can be challenging and also very rewarding. Whether you are working with athletes in overcoming stress related to try-outs or helping them fight the stereotypes brought on by the media, sport psychology consultants work to be supportive and show as much determination as the athletes they represent.

In addition to football, female professional athletes have been seen in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA; Rhonda Rousey and Gina Carano), soccer (Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm), tennis (Serena and Venus Williams); and boxing (Laila Ali and Lucia Rijker). Women will continue to show their athletic excellence in the professional leagues and sport psychology consultants will continue to support athletes as they accomplish dreams and as they set their eyes on new and exciting goals.

References

Beaudoin, C. M. (2006). Competitive orientations and sport motivation of professional women football players: An internet survey. Journal Of Sport Behavior, 29(3), 201-212.

Migliaccio, T. A., & Berg, E. C. (2007). Women’s participation in tackle football: An exploration of benefits and constraints. International Review For The Sociology Of Sport, 42(3), 271-287.

            Retrieved from: http://irs.sagepub.com.ezproxy.adler.edu/content/42/3/271

Packard, J. (2009). Running off-tackle through the last bastion: Women, resistance, and professional football. Sociological Spectrum, 29(3), 321-345. doi:10.1080/02732170902761974