What’s in a Title?  Assistant/Associate Head Coaches in the NCAA
The assistant/associate head coach position is relatively new to the intercollegiate athletics world, and often comes without definition from athletic departments.  This can lead to uncertainty about the nature of the position. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of the experiences and perceptions of those who hold these titles, including whether there were differences along gender lines, with an eye towards expanding the literature in this area. Of 1,173 assistant/associate head coaches’, data shows 76.6% of coaches with the title are male. 
Results indicate that duties such as recruiting and practice planning were similar for male and female assistant/associate head coaches. The majority of participants indicated using this current position as a stepping stone. Over 54% of male respondents indicated receiving a salary increase with their promotion to assistant/associate head coach, while only 45% of female respondents reported a salary increase. Qualitative responses illustrated a sense of isolation within this population as participants indicated they felt “very lonely” in the position and that “being a female is a struggle.” Although women in this position may be engaging in similar, useful experiences to their male counterparts, the lack of women within the position is troubling.