Women Coaches Breaking Records

Historic Contracts Signal Progress

In a groundbreaking move, Emma Hayes has secured the most lucrative contract for any women’s soccer head coach, earning approximately $1.6 million annually until 2027.

This landmark deal matches the salary of Gregg Berhalter, the head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team.

Trend across The Elite Sports

Emma Hayes is part of a growing trend as more women head coaches across various sports secure multi-million dollar contracts, often surpassing their male counterparts.

In NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball, Kim Mulkey and Dawn Staley lead the way with contracts of $3.2 million and $2.7 million, respectively.

However, the income gap persists, with Brenda Frese, the next highest-earning coach, making $1.4 million annually.

Unequal Representation Remains a Concern

Despite these financial breakthroughs, the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within elite sports is a persistent issue.

While the WNBA stands out for its equitable practices, boasting a record nine women head coaches compared to three men in 2023, other leagues lag behind.

Title IX and the Ongoing Struggle

Since the implementation of Title IX in 1972, there has been a slow decline and stagnation in the proportion of women head coaches across collegiate sports.

At the NCAA D1 level, women represent only 43%-46% of all head coaches for women’s programs, and women head coaches are nearly non-existent in men’s programs outside of co-ed sports like track and field.

Call for Equality in Hiring Practices

Despite the strides made by some sports organizations, the overall lack of gender diversity in coaching positions highlights the need for greater efforts in hiring and promoting women coaches.

Achieving equality remains a challenge that extends beyond financial compensation to encompass broader opportunities for women in sports leadership roles.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Forbes