ABSTRACT

Research question: Women commencing semi-professional careers in traditionally male team sports face unique opportunities and challenges. This study aimed to understand player's personal, organisational and societal barriers and supportive practices in their inaugural season as a semi-professional.

Research methods: Players (N=46) contracted for the 2019 National Rugby League Women’s Premiership (Australia and New Zealand) completed an on-line questionnaire about the new league at the end of the first playing season. Additionally, players, coaches, and managers/executives (N = 22) were interviewed about this newly constituted career pathway and the ‘professionalisation’ of the women’s game.

Results and findings: Data gathered were interrogated using an ecological-intersectional schema. Players were highly motivated intrinsically and strongly supported in their interpersonal environments. While the introduction of player payments was accompanied by increased expectations of the employing clubs; the level of remuneration was not viewed as sufficiently recompensing players for associated training, travel, playing and community commitments. Players with childcare responsibilities faced distinct barriers, with organisational policies yet to account for the distinct needs of this significant demographic cohort.

Implications: In the first season adoption of existing, traditionally male-based, organisational norms and practices acted to legitimise the new women’s competition, but also placed considerable stress on players. Most of the players had two or more employment commitments simultaneously yet had limited job security. Policies and practices with the greatest positive impact for the women players included: child-care provision, development of an inclusive team and club culture, and providing coaching, training and support specifically tailored to meet women’s needs.

摘要

研究问题：在传统的男性团队运动中开始半职业生涯的女性面临着独特的机遇和挑战。这项研究旨在了解球员在作为半职业球员的就职赛季中的个人、组织和社会障碍以及支持性做法。

研究方法：签约2019年全国橄榄球联赛女子超级联赛（澳大利亚和新西兰）的球员（N =46）在第一个赛季结束时完成了关于新联赛的在线问卷调查。此外，球员、教练和经理/高管（N  = 22）接受了关于这一新构成的职业道路和女子比赛“专业化”的采访。

结果和发现：使用生态交叉模式询问收集的数据。玩家在他们的人际关系环境中具有内在的积极性和强烈的支持。虽然引入球员薪酬伴随着雇佣俱乐部的期望增加；薪酬水平并未被视为足以补偿球员相关的训练、旅行、比赛和社区承诺。有托儿责任的玩家面临着明显的障碍，组织政策尚未考虑到这一重要人口群体的独特需求。

影响：在第一个赛季中，采用现有的、传统上以男性为基础的组织规范和做法使新的女子比赛合法化，但也给球员带来了相当大的压力。大多数球员同时有两个或更多的就业承诺，但工作保障有限。对女性球员产生最大积极影响的政策和实践包括：提供儿童保育、发展包容性团队和俱乐部文化，以及提供专门为满足女性需求而量身定制的教练、培训和支持。