Using social cognitive career theory to understand head coaching intentions among assistant coaches of women's teams

In an effort to understand the under-representation of women in coaching, social cognitive career theory was used to examine the influence of sex on the head coaching intentions, and antecedents to those intentions, among male and female assistant coaches of women's teams. Data were collected from 66 assistant coaches who represent 15 different sports within the Ontario University Athletics league. A multivariate analysis of variance, followed up by univariate analyses, revealed that men, relative to women, had greater head coaching self-efficacy, anticipated more positive outcomes associated with being a head coach, and possessed greater interest in becoming, and intentions to become, a head coach. Results are discussed in terms of how they help to explain, at least partially, the under-representation of women as head coaches of women's teams.