| Summary: | The under-representation of women in the higher echelons of sporting
organizations has been examined since the 1970's. It is well documented, with the
Olympic Movement being the target of much of this criticism (Bischoff and Rintala,
1994, 1996, 1997; Cameron 1996, Hovden, 2000a, 2000b; ISLP and IOC , 2004; McKay ,
1997; Pfister et. al, 2005). Research shows a paucity of female leaders at all levels of
sporting organizations. This study explored the career paths and leadership experiences of
women who have accessed high level leadership positions in Canadian high performance
sporting organizations. Semi-structured, open ended interviews were conducted with ten
of these women to elicit their personal narratives, and information concerning their career
experiences in sport administration was obtained. These stories provide important
insights into our current understandings of female experiences in sport administration and
the factors that continue to contribute to the under-representation of women in high level
sporting leadership. The research questions guiding the study were: (1) Who are the
women that have reached high level leadership positions in Canadian sporting
organizations? (2) How have they achieved these positions? (3) What have been the
circumstances and extent of their leadership involvement? (4) What factors still hinder
women's full involvement and progression in sport administration?
Accordingly, I will address four specific areas of investigation. First, quantitative
data will be presented to demonstrate the lower levels of women participating at the
Olympic Games. Second, the study will trace the career paths of women who have
accessed high level sport management positions and highlights women's entry and
progression in sport administration. Third , the women's level of leadership involvement
will be assessed including the personal skills that led to their success and their
accomplishments in these executive roles. Fourth, barriers hindering women's
opportunities to advance into high level leadership positions will be examined. The
implications of these findings will then be discussed and recommendations will be made
for policy makers and current sporting leaders who can influence change within their
sporting organizations. It is hoped that this study can contribute to a better understanding
of female under-representation in high level sporting leadership. === Education, Faculty of === Kinesiology, School of === Graduate
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