National Survey of Elite Female Soccer Players: Coaching Female Athletics Requires Different Set of Skills
Survey Shows Different Mindset, Motivations from Men

BOSTON (September 4, 2002) - Successfully coaching female athletes from grade school through college requires a set of skills that often are different from those traditionally used to coach male athletes, according to a Simmons College survey of elite female soccer players across the nation.

The findings were revealed in an e-mail survey administered by Richard Dawson, head coach of the all-female Simmons College soccer team in Boston, of successful female soccer players from around the country. Respondents included two full national team members, numerous Division 1 successful players from the north and south regions, and 10 youth national team players who were part of the U.S. under-19 teams. Soccer players included those from the University of North Carolina, the University of Virginia, Santa Clara University and Boston University.

Fifty of the 80 soccer players surveyed responded, an exceptionally high 75 percent response rate.

Dawson, who is also staff coach for Region 1 Olympic Development Programs, asked questions about the players' experiences working with coaches from grade school through their high school or college career, focusing on what characteristics they thought made effective or ineffective coaches. Numerous responses differed from those traditionally given by males

The findings buttress similar conclusions drawn by some leading college soccer coaches, who say that women athletes are motivated differently than men.

Dawson said the results of the study could be helpful for the coaches of the many young girls who play team sports across the nation, some of whom have the potential to move up and feed regional and national teams.

Dawson said the survey, which included narrative comments from the elite female athletes, revealed that they responded best to coaches who "earned the right" to push them hard and who encourage two-way communications.

"They want to ask questions, and understand why something should be done," Dawson said. "If you yell at female athletes, most won't listen. The traditional aggressive coach sits on the sidelines and screams at players. The female athlete's motivation is different. She wants buy-in and she wants good communications. Male athletes just do what the coach demands of them; females want to know the "why" behind the directive. They want their ideas listened to. And they want coaches who show devotion to their team."

Dawson said that according to the females surveyed, it made no difference to them if their coaches were male or female; the personal characteristics were of primary importance.

The elite female athletes listed these characteristics of effective coaching:

• Motivate, through words and action. "They want coaches who lead instead of demand," said Dawson, "who show excitement about the team, give individual attention, and are consistent."
• Communicate: allow a two-way flow of information. Make eye contact, make nothing personal, ask and answer questions including "why" a directive is given.
• Empower: As often as possible, the female players like to lead and make decisions, encouraged by coaches who show their trust. "Women are not robots," said Dawson. "Good coaches should take that ego hit and give the game to the players. Show them the techniques and tactics, then give them the freedom to develop their own style."
• Be personable: Female players want their coach to take an interest in them as individuals, to enable them to develop trust and caring.

Qualities the female athletes said make ineffective coaches include inflexibility, lack of passion for the team or the game, contradictory or little feedback, communicating poorly or only from the top, lack of respect or understanding of the personal motivation of each player, and having a "threatening" style.

For further information contact Dick Dawson at 617-521-1037.

Simmons College in Boston is a nationally recognized small, private, predominantly women's university.

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