The Invincible Summer: Resilience in Experienced NCAA Division I Female Coaches

Abstract

Using an ecological-resilience integrated theoretical framework (Fletcher & Sarkar, 2012; Galli & Vealey, 2008; LaVoi & Dutove, 2012), I identified and explored resilient qualities that enable female intercollegiate coaches to thrive and sustain lengthy careers in intercollegiate coaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with current female NCAA Division I head coaches who had at least 20 years of cumulative experience in the coaching profession (N=8). Data was analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results showed that work-family balance struggles, the time commitment of the coaching profession, financial challenges, and career-threatening situations emerged as the prominent types of adversities eliciting the resilience process in female coaches. Additionally, coaches identified resilient responses to adversity in cognitive, behavioral, and emotional domains. Finally, coaches’ abilities to be resilient were developed by factors on individual, interpersonal, organizational, and sociocultural levels. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings were discussed.