Work-related constraints in sports coaching: Perceptions of South African female coaches

The purpose of this study was to investigate the work-related constraints encountered by female coaches in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Participants were 100 female coaches who completed a 34-item questionnaire on the perceived constraints/hindrances to coaching. A Cronbach's α of 0.953 was recorded for the questionnaire. Results indicated that coaches identified lack of support for women coaches, inadequate salary, job insecurity, difficulties in working with parents/spectators and coaching at weekends and evenings as the major constraints to their coaching. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that female coaches should be provided with support programmes which could ensure fair treatment of female coaches, promote equitable salaries, alleviate all forms of discrimination and ensure that their needs are well catered for.