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The Daily OrangeYear in Sports | More men are coaching women, and Syracuse is no exception
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 4/14/08, 10:48 PM EST Section: Sports
Part of the reason for the shift is a surplus of male candidates and a dearth of female ones.
"I think there are certainly more men probably out there looking for coaching jobs as well," said Jim Livengood, athletic director at Arizona, where eight of 11 women's teams are coached by men. "One of things, I know we're always looking in the profession trying to get more females to become interested in coaching."
Slater is trying to rectify that through the coaches academy, to recruit future coaches - and keep current ones in the profession. For her part, she is fine with men coaching women's teams - as long as the hiring process is evenhanded.
"For me, it's really just that women be given an equal opportunity in athletics, in every aspect," Slater said. "That they have equal opportunity to apply for jobs and be given an interview, an opportunity to get the job. To me, it's about the fairness of it all."
Since Director of athletics Daryl Gross arrived at Syracuse in December 2004, there have been nine coaching vacancies on women's teams. He filled seven with men. Chris Fox took up two of those spots, part of his role as head coach of four teams: men's track and field, women's track and field, men's cross country and women's cross country.
A man replaced a woman in only Gait's case.
It's not about gender, Gross said. It's about talent.
"We want to give our student-athletes the best coaching and teaching available," Gross said via e-mail. " . . . It doesn't matter as long as they are the best we can get."
In the past year, the best Syracuse can get means:
BULLET Paul Flanagan leaving St. Lawrence, a school he guided to five women's Frozen Fours in eight years, to coach Syracuse's inaugural women's hockey season.
BULLET Phil Wheddon leaving his spot as goalie coach on the U.S. women's national team to take over a stagnant women's soccer program.
BULLET Gait, considered the greatest lacrosse player of all time, leaving his head coaching job in the National Lacrosse League to run his alma mater's women's team.
"I think there are certainly more men probably out there looking for coaching jobs as well," said Jim Livengood, athletic director at Arizona, where eight of 11 women's teams are coached by men. "One of things, I know we're always looking in the profession trying to get more females to become interested in coaching."
Slater is trying to rectify that through the coaches academy, to recruit future coaches - and keep current ones in the profession. For her part, she is fine with men coaching women's teams - as long as the hiring process is evenhanded.
"For me, it's really just that women be given an equal opportunity in athletics, in every aspect," Slater said. "That they have equal opportunity to apply for jobs and be given an interview, an opportunity to get the job. To me, it's about the fairness of it all."
Since Director of athletics Daryl Gross arrived at Syracuse in December 2004, there have been nine coaching vacancies on women's teams. He filled seven with men. Chris Fox took up two of those spots, part of his role as head coach of four teams: men's track and field, women's track and field, men's cross country and women's cross country.
A man replaced a woman in only Gait's case.
It's not about gender, Gross said. It's about talent.
"We want to give our student-athletes the best coaching and teaching available," Gross said via e-mail. " . . . It doesn't matter as long as they are the best we can get."
In the past year, the best Syracuse can get means:
BULLET Paul Flanagan leaving St. Lawrence, a school he guided to five women's Frozen Fours in eight years, to coach Syracuse's inaugural women's hockey season.
BULLET Phil Wheddon leaving his spot as goalie coach on the U.S. women's national team to take over a stagnant women's soccer program.
BULLET Gait, considered the greatest lacrosse player of all time, leaving his head coaching job in the National Lacrosse League to run his alma mater's women's team.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Jane
posted 4/15/08 @ 5:58 PM EST
Wow! I think the D.O. completely missed the mark with this story. It might have served you better to actually ask a female coach about men coaching women's teams. (Continued…)
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