WOMEN’S FOOTBALL COACHES AND ASSISTANT COACHES IN BRAZIL: SUBVERSION AND RESISTANCE IN SPORTS LEADERSHIP

Abstract

Based on cultural and gender studies, this research analyzes women’s representativeness as coaches and assistant coaches in women’s football, seeking to identify the subversion and resistance strategies adopted for their inclusion and permanence. The analysis focused on participants’ speeches and document sources such as news articles and academic works. It shows how professionals gained access to the roles resulting from their leadership experiences as athletes and/or interns and for their high capacity. They ensure their permanence by attesting their competence on a daily basis, maintaining their level of ability and overcoming gender stereotypes. They personify the eminent resistance offered by women in spaces traditionally reserved for men, thus tensioning power relations. However, the consolidation of equal conditions requires financial investment and, above all, a commitment to deconstructing gender stereotypes.