Women sport coaches, gender essentialism, and media representations

Claire Wanzer, Anna Goorevich and Nicole M. LaVoi

Chapter 16 in Handbook of Sport Coaching Research, 2026, pp 179-190 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Sport coaches are powerful, visible role models and public figures within the sport landscape. Given the increased popularity and visibility of women's sport, particularly women's basketball, examination of media framing of coaches is imperative. Media framing is a dominant way individuals make sense of coaches, coaching, and leadership, and examination of coach portrayals is necessary to understand the extent to which coverage of women coaches reproduces and/or challenges gendered ideologies. This chapter reviews prominent concepts related to media portrayals of women sport coaches, framing theory, and gender essentialism; provides a thematic analysis of Instagram coverage of women basketball coaches during Women's March Madness (WMM); and suggests theoretical and application-based implications. Social media portrayals of coaches yield the potential to shape broader conversations on gender equity, coaching science, and development. These representations challenge outdated stereotypes about gender bias and leadership, positively inspire young women to pursue coaching, and contribute to advocacy.

Keywords: Essentialism; Media framing; Coaching; Basketball; Gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035341634
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