A new report by USTA Coaching and the Tucker center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport has published, “Women in Coaching: A Cross-Sport Collaboration,” examining the forces that cause women to leave the coaching profession at higher rates than men.
According to USTA, the report “women’s attrition from coaching is driven less by personal choice and more by systemic workplace structures, including compensation, advancement pathways and work culture, that determine who can sustain a career in the profession.”
Related: Game Changers: USTA’s 2026 Women in Coaching Cohort Seeks Systemic Change for Female Coaches
Women's and girls' participation in sports has blossomed since both the passing of Title IX more than 50 years ago and the media popularity boom in recent years. Despite this increase in participation, the coaching ranks remain a male-dominated space.
“Women in Coaching: A Cross-Sport Collaboration” found that insufficient pay was the top-ranking reason for women to leave their coaching positions.
Other pay-related problems included wage gaps and limited benefits, but structural problems, including a lack of women’s facilities — locker rooms, lactation spaces, gender-specific uniforms — also posed barriers to women in the industry.
“Coaching is more complex and demanding than ever,” said Megan Rose, Managing Director and Head of Business Development & Operations for USTA Coaching. “If sport organizations want stability and innovation, they must address how coaching roles are structured and supported, not just how many women enter the pipeline. Recruitment without retention is not progress.”
The report suggests several pathways to encouraging female coaches to accept new positions and seek promotions, including leadership accountability, compensation transparency, inclusive access to professional networks, sustainable work expectations and modern facility standards.
“The time for performative support has passed,” added Rose. “Sustaining women in coaching requires structural change, from pay equity and facilities to work culture and advancement. The future of sport depends on who we retain, not just who we recruit.
