Beyond the Playmaker’s Board: How Racialized Organizations Shape the Coaching Landscape for Black Men

• In Event: Race, Gender, and Class Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 1) Blackness, Community, and Resistance

Abstract

Black men who coach as a profession remain underrepresented in leadership positions within collegiate and professional sports, despite long-standing diversity initiatives. This paper examines the systemic barriers that shape Black coaches’ career trajectories, utilizing framing from Racialized Organizations Theory, Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the Particularistic Mobility Thesis, and Emotional Labor Theory. Using a qualitative approach, this study examines the lived experiences of Black coaches as they navigate racialized hiring practices, social capital disparities, and emotional labor expectations. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with Black men who coach professionally across high school, college, and professional leagues. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in racialized career barriers, self-efficacy influences, and organizational responses to diversity policies. Findings are contributing to a deeper understanding of how racialized organizational structures shape career, mobility, and leadership opportunities for Black coaches. This research informs policy interventions that foster equitable hiring practices and create sustainable pathways for Black leadership in sports.

Authors

• Reignah Amiracle Cockburn Johnson, University of Maryland-College Park

• Katelyn E Foltz, University of Mississippi

• Kris Marsh, University of Maryland-College Park