Many of the goals and motivations that drive individual athleticism and competition are the same among male and female athletes. Others, however, differ slightly or dramatically, depending on gender. In areas where male and female athletes differ, a coach will guide both male and female athletes to achieve their fullest potential by being conscious of these differences.
Chemistry and Teamwork
Sally Helgesen, author of "The Female Advantage," writes that males behave in a hierarchical manner, while females tend to see their teammates as equals. Males find their standing within a team by virtue of their prowess and performance. Female athletes place more emphasis on their relationships and their teammates’ ability to achieve victory together. In the book "Gender and Competition" by Kathleen J. DeBoer, the female approach to teamwork is analogous to a web, in which every player is an equally important strand within the structure. This leads female athletes to be more receptive to coaching tactics that emphasize group effort and collective rewards, while the hierarchical mindset of male athletes leaves them more open to individual praise and rewards that increase their ranking among the other males.
Gender and Confidence
Both male and female athletes often struggle with their confidence, but this struggle can manifest in different ways. Gender roles affect children early, and this leads young athletes to acquire confidence differently. Male athletes learn to project confidence and toughness, and their confidence is boosted when their individual strengths carry the team and earn personal recognition. Female athletes have traditionally experienced segregation from male athletes, modified rules of play and lower pay in the realm of professional sports. Although more recent generations have been less affected by this, the perception that female athletes are somehow inferior or of lesser value can persist, and this might affect their confidence. While challenging a male athlete's individual skills often encourages him to improve, making the same challenge of a female athlete might lead her to take the coach's words as fact, rather than an incentive to improve. Instead of trying to demonstrate that her coach is wrong, she might see the challenge as proof of her inferior abilities and lose confidence in herself. Females are more responsive, and more likely to improve, when encouraged to show commitment to the team and share others' sacrifices rather than prove themselves to a critical coach.
Openness to Coaching
Jeff Janssen of the Janssen Sports Leadership Center has written about his experiences with the differences between male and female athletes. He notes that female athletes are generally more open to coaching than males. They are willing to learn and try unfamiliar techniques, especially when a new approach promises to improve their overall performance. Male athletes, who are more certain of their own prowess, might resist coaching that calls their competence into question by asking them to change their techniques. They often will want demonstration of a new technique’s effectiveness before they will adopt it. Females will obtain the proof they seek first-hand, by experience.
Responses to Criticism
Janssen also notes that female athletes tend to internalize general criticism of the team, believing it applies only to them, and that this affects their confidence. A coach can avoid this pitfall by addressing team members by name, and by offering them alternatives rather than focusing on what they did wrong. Males, on the other hand, depersonalize criticism. Even when the coach addresses their individual mistakes, they might deflect the criticism toward the entire team. Male athletes are less responsive to criticism of their individual mistakes than they are to statements that call their skills and their very manhood into question. Male athletes are motivated by challenges to their prowess, and driven to meet those challenges to prove their worth.
References
- "The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership"; Sally Helgesen; 1995
- "Gender and Competition: How Men and Women Approach Work and Play Differently"; Kathleen DeBoer; 2004
- More Marin: Dr. Joan's Sports Psych Talk: Motivation of Female Athletes; Aug. 6, 2010
- Championship Coaches Network: "Are There Differences When It Comes to Coaching Men and Women?"
- "Christian Science Monitor": Women and Men in Sports: Separate is Not Equal; Laura Pappano; Eileen McDonagh; Jan. 31, 2008
- Coachery.com: How to Improve the Competitiveness of Female Teams
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