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COACH'S CORNER CASE STUDY 2

You are the new head coach for a mixed-gender boxing club. It is the start of the season and you need to order sports attire for your new students. The club where you work already has a standing order with a company that you can renew. However, you notice that the company provides only three different sizes of boxing shorts.

What could you do? Select the best response below.

Not quite. Three sizes are not likely to cater to all students you will get in your club, and it can make students feel left out or uncomfortable if the shorts don’t fit or are too tight/too baggy.

This is correct! Three sizes are not likely to cater to all students you will get in your club, and it can make students feel left out or uncomfortable if uniforms don’t fit or are too tight/too baggy. You can also ask the company about their return policy, so that you have the option to place a bigger order than required and allow students to try on different sizes (in private) to find what they feel most comfortable in.

You notice that your club has been using the same advertising materials to promote its membership for many years. The advertising materials include imagery of athletes that are predominantly White, thin and able-bodied. Additionally, the majority of athletes displayed on the advertising materials and on posters around the club are male.

What could you do? Select the best response below.

Not quite. Although this may be the case, when advertising materials, posters and other methods of recruitment include diverse imagery, clubs are more likely both to recruit diverse athletes and to make all athletes feel comfortable, represented and welcome.

This is partially correct. You could also ensure that advertising materials are equally representative of ability, ethnicity, race, body types and appearance.

This is correct! You could also ensure that appearance diversity is represented by the club’s coaches and administrators, so that your athletes see positive role models in leadership positions.

You also notice that in your club and within the boxing community more generally, male athletes are usually shown in the media and advertising materials as actively fighting, in competition, sweaty and determined. On the other hand, girls and women are shown as posed, smiling, passive and with perfect hair and makeup.

What could you do? Select the best response below.

Not quite. All change starts somewhere and as the new head coach, you can start making changes in your immediate sports environment to make sure all your athletes feel fairly represented.

This is partially correct. You could first make changes in your immediate sports environment to make sure all your athletes feel fairly represented. You could then advocate for your athletes in other ways, for example by teaching all your athletes to challenge gender stereotypes or identifying a brand that uses gender stereotyping in their advertising and writing to them about the negative impact this can have on girls’ body image.

This is correct! You could first make changes in your immediate sports environment to make sure all your athletes feel fairly represented. You could then advocate for your athletes in other ways, for example by teaching all your athletes to challenge gender stereotypes or identifying a brand that uses gender stereotyping in their advertising and writing to them about the negative impact this can have on girls’ body image.

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Coach’s Corner Suggestions & Tips: Although there are many things you have control over as a coach, you will also need support from others to ensure your athletes have a positive body image experience in sport and beyond. To create a positive body image community that extends beyond sport, keep in mind the following:

  • Speak with your athletes – what do they want and need? What is most important to them? Creating body positive communities starts with you, your athletes and your team – and can be a great team building activity as well!

  • Engage administrative and other support staff as early as possible in the season or at the beginning of the school term to discuss your policies related to body image.

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for support – emphasize the importance of protecting girls’ body image not only for their enjoyment and performance in sport, but also for their academic achievement and overall well-being.

  • Give concrete advice for how to avoid negative body image practices and how to promote positive body image practices. You can share the ‘Key Takeaways’ handout, which you can find at the end of this module with teachers, administrative support staff, volunteer coaches and others to educate them further on body image issues.

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