Sports organisations make decisions that shape athletes’ everyday experiences, from training schedules and access to facilities to funding and professional development. Women should have opportunities to contribute to these decisions and help shape the future of their clubs.
Through its focus on gender equality and dual careers, GENDERWISE supports young female athletes in developing skills relevant to coaching, management, and leadership. Its educational theme “Women on Boards” provides a starting point for exploring how sporting experience can connect with participation in sports governance.
Connecting Sporting Experience with Decision-Making
Athletes understand many aspects of their club through direct experience. They know how activities are organised, how information reaches participants, and which practical challenges affect training and competition.
That perspective can contribute to discussions about club development. A team captain, for example, may already have experience communicating concerns, coordinating with teammates, and representing a group.
Moving into governance also requires further learning. Understanding budgets, organisational rules, responsibilities, and decision-making procedures helps aspiring leaders contribute effectively.
Creating Opportunities to Participate
A pathway into leadership can begin before someone becomes a board member. Athlete committees, working groups, and consultations can give young women opportunities to contribute and learn how decisions are made.
These roles need a clear purpose. Participants should understand which issues they can influence, how their proposals will be considered, and who will respond.
Clubs can also invite athletes to help plan events, review activities, or contribute to specific projects. With appropriate guidance, these responsibilities provide practical experience and introduce different areas of club management.
Making Selection Processes Clear
Leadership opportunities are easier to explore when organisations explain how people can become involved. Information about vacancies, eligibility, nomination procedures, and expected responsibilities should be accessible.
Clear criteria allow candidates to assess their suitability and identify areas where they may need additional preparation. Open communication can also help organisations reach people beyond their usual networks.
Clubs should review whether their processes give women fair opportunities to apply, be nominated, and develop the experience required for future roles.
Preparing Future Board Members
An introduction to governance can make a new role more manageable. Training might cover meeting procedures, financial oversight, conflicts of interest, and the organisation’s objectives.
Mentoring or opportunities to observe meetings can help aspiring leaders understand how these responsibilities work in practice, where organisational rules permit this.
Practical arrangements matter too. Meeting times, accessible documents, and clear expectations can affect whether someone is able to participate alongside education, employment, or sporting commitments.
For young athletes, opportunities should be appropriate to their age and the organisation’s rules.
Ensuring Participation Has Influence
Inviting women into a committee or board should be accompanied by opportunities to contribute meaningfully. Members need access to relevant information, time to prepare, and a fair hearing during discussions.
Meeting chairs can support this by encouraging contributions, managing interruptions, and recording agreed actions clearly. Responsibilities should be shared in ways that allow members to use and develop their expertise.
Organisations can ask participants whether they feel able to influence decisions and what would improve their involvement. This feedback helps assess how participation works beyond attendance alone.
Building a Pathway Beyond Competition
Governance experience can introduce athletes to new professional interests. Planning activities, discussing budgets, and contributing to organisational strategy may encourage further learning in sports administration or management.
These experiences also provide opportunities to practise communication, negotiation, and accountability. They can form part of a dual-career pathway alongside sporting development and education.
Each athlete’s ambitions will differ. Clubs can help by making opportunities visible and allowing young women to explore them without assuming that every participant wants the same role.
How GENDERWISE Contributes
GENDERWISE supports young female athletes aged 14 to 26 through educational resources, digital learning opportunities, and mentoring. Its focus on leadership, career advancement, and women’s participation on boards connects skills development with future opportunities in sports organisations.
For BRAVO, supporting women in decision-making means considering both preparation and access. Educational opportunities can help participants build knowledge, while transparent organisational practices create space to apply it.
Young women’s sporting experience offers a valuable starting point. With guidance and fair opportunities, they can develop the skills needed to contribute to the decisions shaping sport.
MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT
GENDERWISE is a 30-month initiative funded under the Erasmus+ Sport programme, bringing together seven partners from six European countries. The project promotes gender equality in sport and supports dual careers for young female athletes through educational resources, online learning, and mentoring.
Stay tuned as BRAVO continues sharing GENDERWISE activities and perspectives on creating more inclusive opportunities for young women in sport.
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