Title IX, federal legislation passed in 1972, prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs that receive federal money (Acosta & Carpenter, 2014, p. 5). Since the law’s inception, girls’ and womens’ participation in sports has increased annually. Today, more females are participating in sports then ever before. In comparison, a notable decline in female coaches has occurred (LaVoi, 2013). In 1972, [approximately] 9 out of 10 coaches for women’s teams were female (Acosta & Carpenter, 2014, p. 10). In 2014, the number has dropped to approximately 4 out of 10. In addition, only approximately 3% of coaches of men’s teams are women (Acosta & Carpenter, 2014).

“Sport is inextricably linked to the American ideal of meritocracy that if you are good enough, work hard enough, and make sacrifices, you will have the opportunity to achieve and succeed. Although this ideology has prevailed for athletes, does this same ideal of meritocracy apply to the coaching profession? Does it apply to all coaches both male and female?” (LaVoi, 2013, p. 1).

It has long been thought that playing experience determined coaching opportunities. But with more girls and women playing then ever before, and yet declining numbers of women in coaching, this long held belief is today being challenged. Interpretation of the data as to why women are not coaching may relate to economic biases, social myths, or personal reasons (Stoll & Van Mullem, 2010, p. 7).

Trailblazer, pioneer — words we use to describe a person who paves the way for new opportunities for others. Becky Hammon is a trailblazer and a pioneer. A 16-year veteran in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), Hammon spent 8 years with the New York Liberty and 8 years with the San Antonio Stars (Voepel, n.d.). A decorated athlete, she was a seven-time WNBA All-Star, two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree and three-time NCAA All-American [at Colorado State University] (Voepel, n.d).

In recent years, women of ethnic minority status have made huge strides in being recognized for their athletic endeavors. The speed and power of sprinter Wilma Rudolph and the high-flying sharp shooting of Cheryl Miller, paved the way for the dominating play of the William’s sisters, the acrobatic elegance of Gabby Douglas, and the powerful swing of Michelle Wie. However, as promising as these changes may be, one minority group in particular seems to have fallen by the wayside. While the media has increased its coverage of the successes of female athletes of ethnic minority status, Native American female athletes have consistently been ignored (King, 2005). Battling racism, sexism, and classism, they “have been silenced by being suppressed, excluded, and misrepresented at every level of social interaction and have been placed at the margins by the dominant culture in society and sport” (Smith, 1992, p. 229).

Although mainstream society is seldom exposed to the performance of Native Americans in sports, sports have played an important role in the evolution of Native American culture, influencing many phases of their lives (Oxendine, 1988). Basketball appears to have become one of the most popular sports (Cheska, 1984) and is interwoven into the fabric of Native American culture. Described as an “all-consuming passion” by some (NPR, 2003) and as a “drug” by others (Smith, 1991), the sound of a basketball bouncing has been likened to the beating of a warrior’s drum (Donahue, 1997). For years, Native American basketball tournaments have been immensely popular, allowing Native Americans to compete in the sport many years after their high school or college eligibility is over. In a fictional story, the author Welch questioned who the true inventor of basketball really was, implying that the game was modeled after the traditional Indian game of hoop and pole (Donahue, 1997).

Today, Native American athletes continue to play and succeed in sports although their efforts are seldom recognized. Unfortunately, “athletic skills developed on American Indian land are often contained within its boundaries” (Selena, 2001, p. 1). What little media coverage Native American female athletes have received, has tended to focus on failures rather than highlight successes. With the absence of their stories and thus their voice, the media has perpetuated the belief that if Native American female athletes do exist, they must struggle to be successful. Unfortunately, this practice of primarily recognizing the negative stories, or providing no stories at all, has served to reinforce incorrect stereotypes that Native American female student-athletes are not or cannot be successful in mainstream sports (King, 2005).

Several weeks ago, the University of Tennessee dedicated Pat Summitt Plaza to honor the winningest coach in college basketball history, Pat Summitt. With over 1,000 wins, 8 national titles and 18 final four appearances (Associated Press, 2013), Coach Summitt is a legendary figure in sports. Sadly, her coaching career was recently cut short because of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. But while she no longer roams the sidelines with her trademark stare, her legacy lives on forever in the lives of the young people she coached.

As the head coach at the University of Tennessee from 1974-2012 (Associated Press, 2013), Coach Summitt molded the lives of the young women she coached for over three decades. She was a trailblazer in women’s athletics and a leader in the truest sense. “Leadership comes in many different varieties, but ‘good’ leadership is directed toward a mission of excellence in which all individuals involved are better human beings for the experience” (Lumpkin, Stoll, & Beller, 2012, p. 22).

Unapologetically challenging, Coach Summitt was the first to admit not everybody could be a Lady Vol (Summitt, 2013). However, her commitment to her student-athletes’ growth as people and athletes was plain to see. Trish Roberts, a former Lady Vol, shared, “Pat pushed me and saw something in me I didn’t see in myself. When she believes strongly in something, then she is going to hound you and hound you, until you see it. Eventually” (Summitt, 2013, p. 125). Coach Summitt cared deeply about her athletes and their growth once commenting, “The better I got to know our players, the more I was able to search out their competitive personalities, find their insecurities, and shore them up” (Summitt, 2013, p. 150).

The role of a coach is multidimensional and their responsibilities are diverse. Regardless of competitive level a coach can serve as a teacher of strategy and technique, or a source of emotional support and/or motivation. Coaches are teachers. The good ones teach not only how to perform a physical skill and play a game, but also how to constructively handle oneself in and out of competition. They can have a significant impact on the development of the individuals with whom they work.

Today I work as a professor in a Kinesiology program at a small public college in the Northwest. Prior to beginning my time in academia, I lived the life of a college student-athlete and then later as a college coach. My experiences are cherished and shape my perspectives on work ethic, personal relationships, and self-confidence.

Many of my students aspire to become physical education teachers, coaches, or athletic administrators. In and out of class we discuss the importance of sound leadership in the positive development of youth. Many of my students have chosen their degree path and professional aspirations because of interactions with an inspirational coach and/or teacher from their youth. In addition to loving movement and physical activity, they too want to positively impact others. They recognize the power and meaning of such a relationship because they benefited from one.