The Leadership Perspectives of Female Intercollegiate Athletes

Abstract

Though the implementation of Title IX, among other measures, has resulted in increased equitable opportunities for sport participation for girls and women, the same cannot be said for leadership opportunities in sport, such as in coaching and administration. The current research examined how female intercollegiate athletic participants construct meaning of their perspectives as leaders. Two hundred and ninety‐five National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) female college athletes were questioned about their leadership perspectives. The perspectives presented revealed that the female college athletes were success‐oriented, sought to be change agents in their communities, and believed in leading by example. Further, self‐reflection was an important consideration on their leadership perspectives. In light of the findings, implications and future research are discussed.