RETAIN - Good Practices
- Coaching - Best Practices
- Be aware of mansplaining attitudes during trainings and games — Mansplaining is the act https://dictionary.cambridge.org/it/dizionario/inglese/act of explaining something to someone in a way that suggests that they are stupid based on their expressed gender.
- Be aware of the objectification of bodies — Objectification involves viewing and/or treating a person as an object devoid of thought or feeling. This is most commonly seen in the sexualisation and commodification of feminine bodies and the proliferation of ideal body standards represented in media.
- Objectification Definitions Summary — There are many different aspects that contribute to objectification. Here we explain some key terms and aspects often included in discussions on objectification.
- Objectification Theory — Objectification theory is a framework for understanding the experience of being female in a culture that sexually objectifies the female body. The theory proposes that girls and women, more so than boys and men, are socialised to internalise an observer's perspective as their primary view of their physical selves.
- Junior coaches should have a communication channel with the parents — Direct communication with the parents is helpful in the organisational aspects of managing a team and can also improve the player's performance.
- Set specific measures to reduce the dropouts — As a coach, you need to use tactics and methods that use the strengths of everyone. This means using different coaching methods and playing strategies catered to the individual players' strengths and the team as a whole. As a result, an inclusive and conscientious approach to this issue is essential.
- What is toxic masculinity and how to tackle it — Understanding toxic masculinity and how to tackle it.
- Address toxic masculinity within yourself — Listen and learn: Along with sharing your truth, ask others to share theirs, particularly people whose gender identities or gender expressions are different from yours. How are they living their truth? How can you support them to do so? Do they have practical suggestions for how you can shift your behaviour to avoid toxic masculinity? If so, consider them without being defensive.
- Impact and consequences of toxic masculinity — As individuals, many men don’t recognise the inherited power or privilege they experience in their day-to-day lives due to their presented gender. Of course, there are levels of intersectionality, such as ethnicity, wealth, education and health, which influence the experience of male privilege in society. However, with the institution of male privilege and the patriarchy comes societal pressures to conscribe to the ideals of what it is to be a masculine man. Toxic masculinity refers to the rigid
- Tackling toxic masculinity as a witness — Whenever you encounter toxic behaviour, make sure you can talk to the person instigating it. The confrontation doesn’t need to be a monologue about why it is bad. Instead, create the room to reflect and educate the person.
- Organisation - Best Practices
- Create a policy for safe and inclusive sport — A safeguarding policy helps your organization categorize issues and support and inform all involved parties on how to react if incidents regarding discrimination, bullying or inappropriate behaviour occur.
- Focus on improving empathy for each other — Winning the support of a diverse group of athletes will act as a catalyst for establishing a non-discriminating structure in your association. Having empathy and understanding will facilitate the creation of these relationships.
- Get feedback from players who quit or retire — As an organisation knowing the reasons why players leave your club or quit the sport helps finding ways how to improve your retaining program.
- Keep retired players engaged — Retired players are an essential resource for each association. Staying in contact with them increases the chances of retaining or re-recruiting them as volunteers, mentors or sponsors for your organization.
- Organise hat tournaments or pick-up leagues where people at all playing levels can participate — Hat Tournaments have various advantages in recruiting new players and retaining existing ones, especially during the off-season.
- Organise social events during the off-season — People who find friends will keep playing and can motivate each other to improve and develop their athletic abilities.
- Use inclusive language — Language is a powerful tool and can have a massive impact on athletes. Using the correct language, depending on the situation, is hugely important to ensuring everyone is included and respected.
- Invisibility and omission in language — Invisibility and omission in language occur when the male version is used as the generic norm and, as a result, keeps women from being visible in public life.
- Stereotypes in language — Gender stereotypes involve assigning gender when gender is unknown or irrelevant. These stereotypes are harmful to those subject to them and perpetuate false narratives about stereotypes.
- Subordination and trivialisation in language — Subordination and trivialisation in language occur when one gender, often women, is painted as inferior or is belittled.
- Using statistics to make gender equity targets more objective — Statistics can help create awareness of gender equity and act as a tool to track progress.