Women are getting more and more involved in sports these days. Women are playing sports, they are managing sports teams and players, and they're also coaching sports.

With the rise in women’s hockey and the growth of the female game, you often see at least one female coach on the coaching staff of women’s hockey teams at the professional or collegiate level. However, it is not as common to see women coaching men. To this day there has yet to be a female head coach of a professional male sports team. There have only been a few assistant female coaches in the NBA and NFL and the Arizona Coyotes were the first in the NHL to hire a female on full-time as skating coach.

Having a female on the bench of a women’s hockey team can be very beneficial to the team. It gives the players someone they can relate to. A female player may feel more comfortable talking and opening up to a female coach. Female coaches can be great role models for the players. Having a female coach adds value to the female’s abilities, essentially giving a better chance at favourable outcomes for women. The female coach may be more likely to vouch for the women to ensure they are treated fairly. Having another woman pushing for them and in their corner is valuable for them to reach their full potential.

Men and women generally have different mindsets and having a female on the coaching staff could help the male coaches understand their players. Having a female voice amongst men could also bring a different perspective to the group. Women are known to be natural teachers so coaching for most women is second nature. If sports icons like Lebron James are open and respect females coaching males then why aren’t there more?

There is a need for women in sports today. Sports are quite possibly the biggest social institution in society. Sports have the power to make change. That’s why having more females enter the male dominated profession of coaching breaks societies gender barriers and challenges gender stereotypes.