Coaches hold particular responsibility in developing sport environments and team cultures and have critical and often personal relationships with athletes; therefore, coaches have a direct role in athlete wellbeing and personal development. The NCAA has provided an avenue for transgender athletes to compete in collegiate sports that align with the athletes' gender identity through the Transgender Student-Athlete Participation Policy. Nevertheless, it is unclear how supportive, welcoming, and safe these sport environments are for transgender athletes, and specifically, how coaches' views and attitudes may be impacting transgender athletes.
The present study investigated coaches' perceptions and intentions related to transgender athletes and their sports participation and explores coaches' knowledge, beliefs about, and experiences with LGBT individuals and athletes. We consider how their attitudes relate to their intentions and openness to coaching transgender athletes. We hope to provide a deeper understanding of coaches' perspectives, what is informing their perspectives, and how coaches may be creating sport environments that are supportive or harmful for LGBT athletes.
Through the links below, individuals may access the executive summary as well as the full report. We will continue to investigate collegiate sport environments, to explore how supportive, welcoming, and safe they are to transgender athletes, and to further inform policy and education for those within collegiate sports environments.