Women coaches, women's teams

The Athletic Department should consider gender when making hiring decisions. An assistant Penn crew coach's recent allegations that he was denied a promotion because of sex bias have spurred controversy about the importance of gender in these decisions. In this specific case, the claim of sex bias seems unfounded. Former Dartmouth women's crew coach Barbara Kirch, who is also a Penn graduate, presented qualifications superior to those of Penn crew assistant coach Andy Medcalf -- regardless of gender. And the team's success since Kirch's arrival demonstrates that her appointment was a solid choice. The team's fall racing season included two first place finishes at the Navy Day Regatta and a third place at Head of the Schuylkill. More generally, however, the department should continue its stated effort to recruit women coaches for women's sports. Certainly, a female coach is not solely by definition more qualified than her male counterpart. To take another example from crew, the 1995 women's team asked the University to fire then-head coach Carol Bower, describing her as "ineffective" and "impossible" to work with. But female athletes do sometimes need women coaches as role models and as confidants. For many women, it's far easier to relate on personal issues with a female coach than with a male one. Likewise, male athletes can probably relate better to other male coaches who have had similar experiences -- both on and off the field. The Athletic Department shouldn't start appointing unqualified female coaches to head its women's teams. But when a male and a female applicant have similar resumes, the department should give preference to the female candidate. Additionally, there is nothing wrong with extending the search for a women's team coach in order to find a high caliber female prospect. The most recent Athletic Department report to the federal government on Title IX compliance found that females make up only 37.4 percent of the University's varsity athletes. The department has pledged to continue its efforts to close this gap, including a vague promise to "address women's needs." In a more concrete move, recruiting more female coaches for women's teams should be among these initiatives.