The "motherhood penalty" and sport leadership

This chapter examines the role of motherhood in understanding the gender gap in sport leadership, including management and coaching. Studies show that motherhood has a dramatic impact on women’s career trajectories, including negative effects on earnings, advancement opportunities, career satisfaction, and pension/retirement. This “motherhood penalty” cuts across many career fields and is studied in-depth in management and business. However, there is little research on the effects of motherhood in the sport industry. In this chapter, we contend that motherhood is a key, if not primary, factor in the disparity between men and women in sport leadership, with structural, cultural, and environmental factors contributing to the challenges mothers face in the workplace. We examine how the lived experiences of motherhood provide important skills and perspectives in the sport industry, and the ways in which employers can transform the workplace to better support all working parents.