March/April 2019 - 10

STRENGTH
LEVELING THE
PLAYING FIELD
How coaches can encourage females
to embrace strength training
By Kim Ledford & Chris Hobbs, contributing writers
Athletic opportunities for female student-athletes have
exponentially increased since the passage of Title IX. In
the face of these opportunities is still the stark reality that
female student-athletes feel like intruders in the maledominated
athletics realm. While the teams available to
females continue to grow and participation numbers rise,
athletic administrators and coaches must be intentional
about the experience of the female student-athletes in
their schools.
Nowhere is this truer than in the weight room.
Ask any athletic administrator about the goals for their
department, and it's likely that the weight room is on
the list. Whether it's a new space, equipment or hiring
a certified strength coach, athletic administrators are
keenly aware that strength training is a key component of
maximizing a student-athlete's performance. Wise leaders
take special measures to make sure that female studentathletes
are just as engaged in the pursuit of athletic
10 MARCH/APRIL 2019
excellence in the weight room as male student-athletes.
Strength coaches can utilize these four 'Cs' to level the
playing field for females in the weight room.
Complications
The most uncomfortable part of a workout for female
student-athletes is psychological. The popular culture of
today glamorizes female athletes that are lean and toned,
but the gut-wrenching effort that's required to obtain
these goals is deemed " masculine. "
On a daily basis, female student-athletes are faced with a
psychological choice in the weight room. They can oppose
societal norms by digging deep into the workout, or " save
face " by putting in a minimal effort that aligns more with
cultural expectations of a delicate female. Many studies
have investigated this psychological discomfort at the
collegiate level, but one could logic that it presents even
greater discomfort for high school athletes.
March/April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March/April 2019
