Date on Capstone

4-2026

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

D.S.W.

Degree Program

Social Work, D.S.W.

Committee Chair

BrintzenhofeSzoc, Karlynn

Committee Member

Golder, Seana

Committee Member

Archuleta, Adrian

Committee Member

Rhema, Susan

Committee Member

Storer, Heather

Author's Keywords

female college coaches; collegiate coaching; professional quality of life

Abstract

Before Title IX passed in 1972, most female college sports teams were coached by women. Today, only 42% of head coaches are women, even though participation in women’s collegiate sports has increased by 637% since 1971. This study explored the factors influencing the professional quality of life of female college coaches. Variables considered in this study included parenting and work, organizational culture, women’s role in the workforce, unique issues faced by female collegiate coaches, and professional quality of life. The study used a mixed-methods cross-sectional design and purposive sampling, resulting in 107 valid responses. The results indicate that respondents felt mostly positive about their job, coworkers, and work, but less positive about their pay and supervision. Compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were all in the moderate range. Qualitative responses were not always consistent with quantitative results, indicating the need for future research. The findings in this study have numerous implications for social work across leadership, education, policy, and research. Athletic administrations must understand their coaches' needs and adopt a supportive mindset, particularly among female collegiate head coaches and coaches with children. In education, social work students should be afforded the opportunity to engage in sport-based field practicums at all levels of play. The focus on policy should be to loudly support a national paid leave policy for all parents who welcome a child, either by birth or adoption, while also supporting a national Head Start program and the needs of child care workers. In research, exploring the professional quality of life of female collegiate head coaches warrants further study, which should be shared with sport governance to develop guidance on recruiting and retaining female collegiate coaches across all divisions. 

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