By Christine Miles
I am a former varsity-level ice hockey player, high-performance youth coach and a seasoned leader in the corporate world, yet the support in coaching didn’t always follow. Without more women leading on the sidelines, we risk losing the perspective, mentorship, and representation that help girls stay in sport and see themselves in future leadership roles.
The Momentum in Girls’ Sport
Girls’ sports in Canada are experiencing a remarkable transformation. Across rinks, gyms, and fields, the energy is palpable with more teams, more programming, and higher participation than ever before.
A recent CTV News report projects that the Canadian women’s sports market will reach $570 million by 2030, signaling not only the scale of growth but also the expanding economic opportunity emerging in this space.
Women are more informed, engaged, and active in sports than ever before, not just as athletes, but as fans, professionals, and industry leaders. From sports betting and analytics to broadcasting, marketing, and leadership, women are shaping the conversation and redefining what sports culture looks like. Media platforms like The Gist and Just Women’s Sports are leading the charge in providing women-centered sports coverage and commentary.
With the growing number of girls participating in sport, it’s essential to build clear pathways for their development and progression into coaching and leadership roles. As more girls play, a larger pool of experienced and knowledgeable women emerges, ready to lead, coach, and inspire the next generation.
In parallel with the rise of girls’ and women’s sports, many organizations are now intentionally working to increase the representation of women in coaching. Through mentorship programs, leadership training, policy advocacy, and supportive development pathways, they’re helping to remove systemic barriers and empower women to take their place as leaders in sport. Leading organizations such as Canadian Women & Sport, Coaching Association of Canada, Girls Forward and Sport for Life Women and Girls are driving measurable progress in gender equity while growing participation, leadership, and visibility for girls and women across the country.
My own daughter hasn’t experienced a barrier to playing hockey, something I could not have imagined at her age. When I was growing up, there was not even a girls’ hockey team in my city. So, I started one at the age of 17. She is growing up in a world with a professional women’s hockey league (PWHL).
The expansion of girls’ sport is not just a trend; it is a cultural shift reshaping communities and redefining what is possible for young athletes. Women’s sports are exploding in participation, visibility, and investment, but this growth demands that we also accelerate the number of women in coaching.
Lorraine Lafreniere, CEO of Coaching Association of Canada, notes “Ensuring girls and women reach their full potential in sport and life unlocks human capacity. Progress happens when women are empowered to develop, lead, and shape the environments that shape us all.”
The Representation Gap
Even with this progress, a significant gap remains. Women remain underrepresented in coaching at nearly every level.
- In Canadian post-secondary sport, women hold 26 percent of head coach positions for women’s teams, 18 percent for mixed-gender teams, and only 3 percent for men’s teams.
- At the national level, only 18 percent of coaches representing Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were women.
- Even in grassroots sport, where girls’ participation is strongest, only 34 percent of coaches are women.
In 2019, of the 518 teams in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, only four had a woman as a head coach, and I was proud to be one of them. Over the past ten years, I have coached more than 30 competitive ice and ball hockey teams, striving to make a positive impact on young athletes. Coaching has given me the joy of giving back to a sport that has given so much to me. The rewards of seeing players grow and thrive far outweigh the challenges that come from navigating a hockey culture historically dominated by men.
As both my coaching peer and corporate colleague, Tanya Witty, GTHL Coach of the Year and Hockey Canada’s Community Coach Award recipient reflects “Every woman who steps behind the bench helps shift what leadership in hockey looks like, and that’s how we’ll truly grow the sport.”
My friend and former varsity opponent, Cheryl Pounder, two-time Olympic gold medalist, coach, TSN sports analyst and colour commentator for the PWHL, adds “I’ve seen the difference women make behind the bench. My mom coached me 40 years ago, at a time when few women were visible in the game, her confidence shaped me. Women belong in these roles. They need to trust their value, take the step, and claim the space they’ve earned.”
Behind every statistic is a story: a coach breaking a barrier, a parent noticing a change, or a young girl or boy seeing women reflected in leadership.
Why Representation Matters
Representation in coaching is not just symbolic, it is transformational. Research shows that when girls see women in leadership positions, they are more likely to stay in sport, feel a sense of belonging, and envision a future beyond participation.
“If you see it, you can be it.”
This principle was illustrated when Courtney Birchard-Kessel, Tara Watchorn, and Stefanie McKeough became the first all-women coaching staff in under-18 program history.
Christine Sinclair, co-owner of Vancouver Rise FC, reflects “You cannot be what you cannot see, and that is why the role-model piece is so important.”
These barriers were never about a lack of ability or interest. They’re the product of systems that weren’t designed with women in mind, and a sport culture that still needs to redefine what inclusive leadership really means. The result is a direct hit to both confidence and opportunity, two factors that are deeply interconnected.
Jessica Campbell, NHL Assistant Coach for the Seattle Kraken, added “Inclusivity is about people seeing themselves in the game, and that movement is what we are experiencing now.”
We are beginning to see a meaningful shift. Recent examples include Jocelyn Barrieau, confirmed as Head Coach of the Canada Women’s National Rugby Sevens Team following the Paris 2024 Olympics, and Casey Stoney, appointed Head Coach of the Canada Women’s National Soccer Team in January 2025.
Women coaches bring invaluable strengths to the sidelines. They foster communication, empathy, mentorship, and holistic development, building confidence, resilience, and life skills that extend far beyond the game.
When girls see women leading, they see what’s possible. They stay in sport, they grow, and many go on to become the next generation of coaches themselves.
I believe this is equally true for women coaching boys. Throughout my career, I’ve primarily coached boys, and I hope I’ve helped shape their perspective on equality in sport, showing them that women belong in leadership roles at every level. Research confirms that boys benefit from diverse coaching styles and role models, and having women behind the bench not only challenges stereotypes but also normalizes women as leaders.
If I’ve been able to leave even a small mark in helping young athletes view leadership through a lens of inclusivity and respect, then I consider that a win, for the game, and for the next generation of leaders
The Systemic Barriers
If the benefits are so clear, why are there still so few women coaching?
The answer lies in structural and cultural barriers. Many positions are volunteer or part-time. Practice times often conflict with work or family responsibilities. Biases, both conscious and unconscious, influence who is recruited, developed, and promoted.
My son joined a hockey team, at 6 years old, and when the head of the competitive program announced that the team could only proceed if parents volunteered to coach, another mom and I decided to step up. She would manage, and I would coach. At first, I hesitated, I was a young mom of two (soon to be three), working full-time, but confident in my knowledge of the game. Still, it took months before I was officially offered the position. The head representative later admitted he had been holding out for a more experienced dad.
Things have come a long way since then, but not without struggle.
My former varsity teammate (Go Gryphons!) and current PWHL Toronto Sceptres Assistant Coach Rachel Flanagan recognizes “The PWHL has opened incredible doors for women in the pro game, yet barriers still remain for women behind the bench.”
Parents and leaders with the power to influence must actively support women and moms in coaching roles. Their presence strengthens clubs, associations, and leagues, drives growth and performance, and most importantly, benefits the young athletes who represent the future of our sport.
Today, there has never been a more welcoming environment for women to share their experience and passion for sport through coaching.
Building the Future
Women in coaching is not only a representation issue. It is about the sustainability and well-being of girls’ sport itself.
With the growing number of girls participating in sport, it’s essential that we build clear, supported pathways for their development into coaching and leadership roles. More girls playing today means a stronger pool of experienced, passionate leaders tomorrow, but only if intentional pathways, opportunities, and support systems are in place.
A strong example of this progress is Hockey Canada’s upcoming release of the Women’s & Girls’ Hockey Discussion Paper, one of the most comprehensive pieces of work the organization has undertaken. This paper will help shape how Hockey Canada invests, collaborates, and leads in the years ahead, setting the stage for meaningful, sustainable advancement for women and girls in the game.
Canada is at an inflection point. The growth of girls’ and women’s sport is real, measurable, and filled with potential. Ensuring that more women coach is how we protect that momentum and transform today’s athletes into tomorrow’s leaders. Research shows that 96% of women in C-suite positions played sports, highlighting the lasting impact of early exposure to leadership and teamwork.
The Government of Canada has set a target to achieve gender equity in sport leadership by 2035. Achieving this goal will require more than policy. It will take commitment, creativity, and cultural change at every level of the sport system.
Key strategies include:
- Proactively recruiting women into coaching pipelines
- Creating structured mentorship programs
- Recognizing lived experience and other leadership experience as valid expertise
- Implementing hiring and evaluation processes that are aware of bias and committed to fairness
Programs including, Hockey Canada Creating Coaches Program, the recent Get Girl Coached campaign, Canadian Women & Sport leadership programs, and Future of Hockey Lab Changemakers initiatives are reshaping the coaching landscape. These programs help women not only enter but thrive in leadership roles, ensuring the next generation of girls can see themselves in the game. These efforts actively promote women coaches, providing visibility, mentorship, and clear pathways for emerging leaders to step into positions of influence.
When women lead, sport becomes more inclusive, more resilient, and more reflective of the communities it serves. The opportunity is right in front of us, and it is time to make it count. The next generation is watching, learning, and already imagining themselves in these roles. Game On!
About the Author
Christine Miles is a former varsity-level ice hockey player, high-performance youth coach, and a dedicated advocate for advancing women in coaching roles across Canadian sport. A non-profit, corporate, and sport-sector professional, she is committed to building equitable and sustainable pathways that strengthen community leadership. Christine champions initiatives that advance gender equity, mentorship, and representation across all levels of the game, while actively advocating for youth development through sport, particularly ensuring girls stay involved, supported, and empowered.