ABSTRACT
The development and implementation of gender-equity policies in sport organisations—such as affirmative action in recruiting, retaining, and promoting women coaches—are neither easy nor automatic. The implementation of new gender-equity policies therefore requires not only a move towards more transformative practices, but also a shift from words to specific actions, engaging people to implement affirmative actions taking into consideration their own attitudes and experiences. Although men and women coaches work within the same profession, their sociodemographic characteristics are significantly different. Women coaches systematically occupy positions of less power within sports organisations. Co-headcoaching, a practice in which two coaches come together to jointly coach a team as equals, has been revealed as an innovative organisational structure that helps women to continue the coaching career, while retaining female talent in sport clubs. Providing gender lens training and raising awareness is an essential task in initial and ongoing training for coaches, sport leaders, and policymakers.
