A Qualitative Study Exploring Female Graduate Assistants in Athletics: Gender-Oriented Career Barriers and Coping Strategies

This study explored the perceptions of female graduate assistants who worked in the NCAA division I athletic department regarding the barriers to their career success in the sport industry and their coping mechanisms through the lens of social cognitive career theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 female graduate assistants who were working in the athletic department of an NCAA Division I institution. The participants felt pressured to prove their value at work because of the perceived gender stereotypes against women working in sport and the belief in the glass ceiling for women working in a sport organization. To overcome these barriers, the participants adopted various behavioral and psychological coping mechanisms. The unique insights obtained from this study add to the body of literature on the career development of women in sport by filling the theoretical gap related to women who pursue a professional career in sport.