“You get Under Such a Safety Blanket” : the Career Development of Female Football Elite Coaches in Sweden

Abstract: Nowadays, the desire of getting more female coaches involved in Swedish sports in general, and football in particular. The goal is clearly stated by various organizations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the career development of Swedish female elite football coaches. Thus, getting a better understanding of their experienced prosperity and adversity. This exploratory study scrutinizes the experiences of twelve female elite football coaches' career developments. By using in-depth interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, three overall chronological themes are generated: beginning - from player-to-coach transition, continuation - searching for sustainability, and today -making decisions for the future. Within these findings, there are, for example, reasons for starting to coach, the value of having a mentor, challenges in the profession in combination with having a lifestyle balance, personal insights to foster sustainability, and strategies to promote safety along the journey. Finally, additional studies regarding female coaches in different contexts are of interest to further understand and promote this field in progress.