🧠 The psychology behind coaching top athletes

South Carolina lost the NCAA Championship, and I am both sad for them and happy for UCONN. Unexpected players are entering the transfer portal (looking at you, Olivia Miles and Ta’Niya Latson). WNBA players are still moving around in the league. The first million-dollar trade deal happened in women’s soccer. The first-ever season of Grand Slam Track has begun with great success in Jamaica. And as if my anxiety couldn’t get any worse, the WNBA draft is on Monday. 

While we await the start of the 2025 WNBA season, there seems to be a lot of talk about player movement in the college transfer portal. Everyone has a slightly different opinion about how the transfer portal is currently structured. There are a lot of things that affect a player’s decision or desire to move to another team, and many times, it’s about finding the right fit. Dawn Staley has been at the forefront of the Black women in coaching conversation, rightfully so given her impact on the women’s basketball program at South Carolina. But I think there’s a larger conversation to be had around the impact and role of coaching high-level women athletes.

Let's start with some real talk: the recent news about Lisa Leslie hits different. Here's a WNBA legend, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, and one of the most dominant centers in basketball history, saying she'll never apply for a WNBA coaching position again after being passed over twice. It's not just disappointing – it's a wake-up call about the barriers that still exist for Black women seeking leadership roles in sports. I’m not saying she should get a coaching role because she was/is a phenomenal athlete. But I am saying that the fact that she hasn’t had a substantial coaching role is suspect, to say the least. She was staying at Dawn’s house when South Carolina hosted some games at their home arena, so I’ll share my wishful thinking that they’re cooking up a way for her to keep working with women basketball players at a high level.

While Lisa Leslie’s revelation was shocking, I can’t say that I’m too surprised. We can’t talk about coaching opportunities for Black women former athletes in the WNBA without discussing the unceremonious dismissal of T-Spoon and the Atlanta Dream’s head coach, Tanisha Wright. Yes, many coaching positions were gutted after the 2024 season, but stay with me. In another episode on Angel Reese’s podcast, she and Skylar Diggins-Smith discuss the impact of Coach T-Spoon. Their conversation illuminates something undeniable: the importance of having a coach who not only understands the game but understands you as a person. When Black women athletes find coaches who get it – who really get it – the results can be extraordinary.

But here's where it gets interesting: the pipeline from player to coach (or front office) isn't always smooth, but when it works, it's revolutionary. Look at Monica Wright Rogers making history as the first-ever General Manager of the Toronto Tempo. This transition from player to executive is relevant because it brings a depth of understanding that can only come from lived experience.

Let's flip the script and look at where coaching has made magic happen. Take Coco Gauff, for instance. At just 20, she's already reshaping her game with a new coach post-Olympics. The relationship between an athlete and their coach is like a dance – it's intimate, it's complex, and when it works, it's beautiful to watch. For young Black athletes especially, having a coach who sees your potential, understands your journey, and knows how to push you to greatness is invaluable.

And what an exciting season it's been for Black women leading from the sidelines at the collegiate level. Kara Lawson has transformed Duke's program, leading the Blue Devils to their first ACC Championship under her leadership. At Harvard, Carrie Moore made history as the first Black woman to lead the Crimson to the NCAA Tournament in her second season as head coach. And Vanessa Blair-Lewis orchestrated an incredible turnaround at George Mason, taking a team that was predicted to finish near the bottom of their conference to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. These women aren't just coaching – they're revolutionizing their programs, mentoring the next generation, and proving that when given the opportunity, Black women coaches can create magic on and off the court.

The reality is that coaching isn't just about X's and O's. For Black women athletes, coaches often serve as mentors, advocates, and sometimes even protective shields in spaces that weren't originally built for us. The best coaches understand this dual role – they're not just developing athletic talent; they're helping women athletes navigate a complex and sometimes thankless sports industry.

But here's the million-dollar question: why aren't we seeing more Black women in high-level coaching positions and front offices in the WNBA and the NWSL? The talent pool is deep. The experience is there. The leadership qualities are abundant. Yet, the opportunities seem to come with invisible hurdles that their counterparts don't face.

This isn't just about representation (though that matters enormously). It's about the future of sports. When we limit the coaching pipeline, we're not just doing a disservice to qualified candidates – we're robbing sports of diverse perspectives, innovative approaches, and the kind of leadership that comes from having overcome significant obstacles.

Looking forward, there's hope. Every Black woman who breaks through as a coach or executive is creating a new reference point for what's possible. They're showing young athletes that their journey in sports doesn't have to end when they hang up their uniforms. They're proving that leadership can look like them.

The message is clear: coaching matters. Whether you're receiving guidance or giving it, it's a crucial part of the athletic journey. For Black women athletes, having coaches who believe in them, understand them, and push them toward greatness can be transformative. As we continue to celebrate the achievements of Black women athletes on the field, court, and track, let's also push for more opportunities in coaching and leadership. Because sometimes, the most important plays happen from the sidelines.