Teaching Young Women to Lead and Play
The Academy's mission is to champion, educate and attract young women to the coaching profession. Our efforts are crucial to the future health of sport for two reasons:
First, the explosive growth of women's sport has created an untapped and underused talent pool of women who are sport savvy, experienced and who want to continue to be involved in and give back to sport. Second, the increasing number of girls playing organized sport means that more women with sport knowledge and experience are needed to train and coach women and men.
So why is it that women are playing -- but not -- leading sport?
Researchers point to several persistent roadblocks--from the 24/7 time demands of coaching and athletics management to unequal pay of female coaches in comparison with their male colleagues. Equally important is the long established reliance on an informal system of job networking in hiring and promotion--and an absence of well-marked and recognizable pathways to coaching and athletic management positions.
For this reason, TASL programs are focused on building formal networks and clear career pathways. During our history we have launched a successful, coordinated strategy for positioning young women to move into sport leadership roles after their most productive playing days are over.
Since 2002, TASL has developed an array of innovative programs and initiatives, all part of an integrated approach to sport leadership training.
Current activities include:
Future Coaches Camp
A unique program of intense training, coach-mentoring and leadership education for high school-age girls. More info »
Athletic Administration Internships
Hands-on training in athletic administration for college women, offered in collaboration with Greenhills School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. More info »
The TASL Alumnae Network
Connecting TASL alums and faculty to share coaching and athletic management educational opportunities and career experiences. More info »