Abstract - From Prohibition to Excellence: A Retrospective Study About Learning Situations of Expert Brazilian Women Judo Coaches
Background. Several factors including gender, influence the development of expert coaches. The developmental trajectory of women coaches may present specific issues compared with those of men, such as: the few opportunities offered to women coaches, the predominance of men in management positions, and lower salaries. In the Brazilian context from 1941-1979, women were initially
discouraged and then officially forbidden to participate in competitive judo. Since that time, female coaches in competitive judo have been a rarity.
Problem and aim. As such, the aim of this study was to investigate three expert brazilian judo female coaches’ learning across their careers.
Methods. Each coach participated in a semi-structured interview. A deductive-inductive approach to content analysis was adopted.
Results. Supporting the literature, our results showed that personal characteristics, formal, informal and non-formal learning situations, and the support of family and friends were important to these coaches’ development. Other subcategories not previously reported emerged from the inductive analysis: teamwork and scientific information. Conclusions. The investigated career pathways
showed that the Brazilian judo coaches were able to cope with career barriers through a combination of extensive formal and non-formal education, as well as support from family and friends. Notwithstanding such support, the women coaches were responsible for motherhood and housekeeping tasks.