I’m not sure the dust has settled on the shock news that Roses ๐น Head Coach Tracey Neville will be standing down after the World Cup. I’m not sure it ever will, to be honest!
Due to experience, this an emotive subject for me and one I have some very firm views on. I committed to writing this blog for the World Cup though and I won’t shirk away just because I’m emotional!
I do pride myself on seeing all different points of view as I hope I’ve demonstrated in other blogs.
There’s been lots of opinions about the timing of the announcement, with heaps of netball commentators, far more qualified than me, having an opinion about it!
Aussie great Liz Ellis and Netball Nation’s (still my fave netball podcast!) Sara Bayman are of the opinion that it was the wrong time to announce it and now the narrative will be around ‘England need to win it for Tracey’ as well as the search for her successor - detracting from the squad and their achievements at the World Cup.
Others feel that’s its a brave decision and gives the governing body time to find the right person to take over. (Lets be honest, they are BIG shoes to fill!)
According to BBC Essex Sport Twitter feed Roses GS Jo Harten thinks it gives the team even more motivation to win gold.
I wonder if some consideration has also been given to the ‘leaks’ of late? There could be a risk that if a successor was being sought on the quiet, then the media could get hold of it and there would have been no control over the timing of the announcement or what was said. (Read my ‘Be Careful what you wish for blog ๐ !)
For me there is a bigger issue and before we get into it - let’s just remind ourselves that we really don’t know what’s been said by whom, where, when and if! We’ll probably never know. We also must respect the decision. It wouldn’t have been easy to make.
In Tracey Neville’s Sky Sports interview she says
“Over the last few months I have sat down with England Netball to look at how I could fulfil my role whilst taking into consideration my personal circumstances. My ambition to have a family is something I want to commit to after the Vitality Netball World Cup.”
It saddens me that a women in 2019, at the top of her game can be honest about her intentions to commit to both her career and family, but still the outcome is that she leaves the role she is has been so successful in. It doesn’t matter what line of work she’s in or what industry - it’s still, in my opinion, immensely unfair.
From an equality point of view if a male coach had won the Commonwealth ๐ฅ last year was open about potentially starting a family, would this even be an issue?
It makes my blood boil.
I’m all for choice and know, first hand, the sacrifices made to coach full time and have a family. I’ve actually made both decisions on the flip side of the coin. To continue coaching full time after I had my first daughter and, after a lot of soul searching, eventually deciding not to stay on full time after
my second. Both decisions caused a lot of heartache and I am still, to this day, not convinced either one were right! (Depends what mood you catch me in too!)
I was ‘only’ coaching at grass roots level - different kind of pressure altogether at elite level!
my second. Both decisions caused a lot of heartache and I am still, to this day, not convinced either one were right! (Depends what mood you catch me in too!)
I was ‘only’ coaching at grass roots level - different kind of pressure altogether at elite level!
Female Coaches Network and Project 500, a campaign to inspire and support women into sports coaching, based in South East UK, used Tracey Neville’s announcement as part of their regular #womenswednesday social media question. The responses and advice were clear: organisational culture is a major factor in changing opinions on pregnancy and bringing up a family whilst working in sport. https://femalecoachingnetwork.com/2019/06/04/womenswednesday-choosing-family-elite-coaching-something-female-coaches-just-accept/
Research suggests (and I have my own personal evidence!) that mothers achieve more following their return to work - they are more resourceful, more decisive and motivated. They bring a different skill set to the workforce.
Research suggests (and I have my own personal evidence!) that mothers achieve more following their return to work - they are more resourceful, more decisive and motivated. They bring a different skill set to the workforce.
I conclude that it’s going to take some doing to ‘smash’ this glass ceiling (another one!) but once it’s done, other women have something and someone to aspire to.
I think the very fact we are talking about it, challenging it and giving more consideration to it, means we are taking small steps forward. One day we’ll have coaches, support staff, umpires and even players travelling the world with children, being the best that they can be in their sport and it will actually be ‘the norm’.
I, for one, will raise a glass to that! ๐ธ
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