<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The role of mentoring for women in sports industry has gathered attention among researchers in the past years (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_004_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab4Aa">Bower, 2009</xref>; <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_007_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab7Aa">Bower, &amp; Hums 2009</xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_009_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab9Aa">2014</xref>; <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_033_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac33Aa">Weaver, &amp; Chelladurai, 1999</xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_034_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac34Aa">2002</xref>). Since few women are in leadership positions (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_001_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab1Aa">Acosta, &amp; Carpenter, 2014</xref>), cross-gender mentoring relationships are more likely to happen (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_017_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac17Aa">Hopkins et al., 2008</xref>). However, according to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_020_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac20Aa">Kram (1985)</xref>, cross-gender mentoring relationships are more complex in terms of individual development and quality of the developmental relationship. In particular, role modeling function is limited (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_020_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac20Aa">Kram, 1985</xref>). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the functions of the same gender mentoring relationships looking at coach Pat Summitt, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball history and a woman in leadership position (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_002_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab2Aa">Becker &amp; Wrisberg, 2008</xref>). Due to the exploratory nature of the study and the huge impact of Pat Summitt on sport (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_018_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac18Aa">Janssen, &amp; Dale, 2002</xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_012_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac12Aa">De Marco, &amp; Mccullick, 1997</xref>), a single case study design to analyze her relationships from the staff and players’ perspectives was utilized as the method for data collection. This study collected data published on American news sites located using Internet search engines Google News (<ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="http://www.google.com">http://www.google.com</ext-link>) for 7 days. The dataset included content published through national and regional online news media, radio, television and entertainment websites and blogs. Texts were qualitatively reviewed with a content analysis and coded (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_pcssr-2016-0017_ref_023_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac23Aa">Patton, 2002</xref>). This study identified career and psychosocial functions that were important in developing an effective mentoring relationships. In particular, the psychosocial functions of “role modeling” was identified as the most important for the relationship. In fact a female mentor as a role model can be perceived as a woman that has successfully overcome discriminatory barriers to career advancement.</p></abstract>

The role of mentoring for women in sports industry has gathered attention among researchers in the past years (Bower, 2009; Bower, & Hums 2009, 2014; Weaver, & Chelladurai, 1999, 2002). Since few women are in leadership positions (Acosta, & Carpenter, 2014), cross-gender mentoring relationships are more likely to happen (Hopkins et al., 2008). However, according to Kram (1985), cross-gender mentoring relationships are more complex in terms of individual development and quality of the developmental relationship. In particular, role modeling function is limited (Kram, 1985). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the functions of the same gender mentoring relationships looking at coach Pat Summitt, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball history and a woman in leadership position (Becker & Wrisberg, 2008). Due to the exploratory nature of the study and the huge impact of Pat Summitt on sport (Janssen, & Dale, 2002, De Marco, & Mccullick, 1997), a single case study design to analyze her relationships from the staff and players’ perspectives was utilized as the method for data collection. This study collected data published on American news sites located using Internet search engines Google News (http://www.google.com) for 7 days. The dataset included content published through national and regional online news media, radio, television and entertainment websites and blogs. Texts were qualitatively reviewed with a content analysis and coded (Patton, 2002). This study identified career and psychosocial functions that were important in developing an effective mentoring relationships. In particular, the psychosocial functions of “role modeling” was identified as the most important for the relationship. In fact a female mentor as a role model can be perceived as a woman that has successfully overcome discriminatory barriers to career advancement.

The Importance of Role Modeling in Mentoring Women: Lessons from Pat Summitt Legacy

Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The role of mentoring for women in sports industry has gathered attention among researchers in the past years (Bower, 2009; Bower, & Hums 2009, 2014; Weaver, &...

The Importance of Role Modeling in Mentoring Women: Lessons from Pat Summitt Legacy

Published Online: Oct 24, 2016

Page range: 5 - 13

Received: Jul 29, 2016

Accepted: Sep 15, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pcssr-2016-0017

Keywords
mentoring, women, role model, summitt

© 2016 Manuela Picariello et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Importance of Role Modeling in Mentoring Women: Lessons from Pat Summitt Legacy

Published Online: Oct 24, 2016

Page range: 5 - 13

Received: Jul 29, 2016

Accepted: Sep 15, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pcssr-2016-0017

Keywordsmentoring, women, role model, summitt

© 2016 Manuela Picariello et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
mentoring, women, role model, summitt