No abstract

As numerous qualified women exit the workforce because of the challenges of balancing work and family, investigations of the work–family interface have become increasingly important. Research has indicated how multilevel factors (i.e., individual, organizational, and sociocultural) play a role in work–family conflict. Little research has examined these factors in relation to each other, however. In sport management, Dixon and Bruening (2005) argued that higher level factors (sociocultural and organizational) shape and constrain lower level behaviors (organizational and individual), which ultimately influence the perception and consequences of work–family conflict. The primary purpose of this investigation is to test and further develop Dixon and Bruening’s multilevel framework. The current study used online focus groups for data collection from 41 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female head coaches with children to examine the factors that impacted work–family conflict from a top-down perspective. The results illuminated the experiences of the coaching mothers and the factors that affected their job and life satisfaction at each of the three levels. Particular attention was paid to how higher level factors such as work climate and culture shaped and constrained lower level attitudes and behaviors such as individual conflict and time management. These relationships highlighted how individual attitudes and behaviors reflect larger structural and social forces at work, and not simply individual choices.

Sport programs are often charged with creating a sense of community (SOC), and it is thought that doing so will benefit participants on and off the field of play. Since SOC is specific to the setting (Hill, 1996) and most research has been conducted outside of sport, the literature has not yet fully demonstrated how and when SOC is created within a sport context. Utilizing a grounded theory and phenomenological approach, this study investigated the mechanisms for creating SOC within a sport setting. Twenty former US college athletes were interviewed regarding their sport experiences. The results revealed that Administrative Consideration, Leadership Opportunities, Equity in Administrative Decisions, Competition, and Social Spaces were the most salient factors that fostered SOC. The results contribute to community building theory, and provide practical solutions for enhancing the participant experience.

This study examined the relationship between organizational support, work-family conflict, and job and life satisfaction among coaches. Data from collegiate head coaches with families (N = 253) were gathered through a mailed questionnaire. Results from a series of covariance structure models indicated that a partially mediated model was the best fitting model, chi2 = (255, N = 253) 461.20, p <. 001; root mean error of approximation = . 05; comparative fit index = .95; parsimonious normed fit index = .71. In partial support of the study hypotheses, the results supported full mediation of the direct effect from organizational support to life satisfaction. Work-family conflict partially mediated the relationship between organizational support and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction partially mediated the effect of organizational support and work-family conflict to life satisfaction.

Despite the progress women have made since the inception of Title IX, many still face discrimination in the sport workplace. Given the assumption that time-use is gendered, the traditional culture of US intercollegiate sport stands in sharp contrast to the evolving notion of work-life balance. This study employed a qualitative life course perspective to examine the experiences of seventeen head coach mothers in NCAA institutions. Results focus on the participants' historical/social context, biography, relationships, interplay between these factors, and most importantly the role of administrators as life linkages. The results suggest that it is insufficient for managers to view the employee in isolation or to neglect the organizational culture in athletics. Supervisor attention to this, while time and effort-intensive, can impact employee well-being.