The Female Athelete
Transition through Elite European Women's Football Pathways
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jackie Day
Many players experience transitions through their playing career (Wylleman, Alfermann, & Lavallee, 2004).The research on transition in sport has predominately centred on athlete retirement, few studies have examined the transition into elite sport (Bruner, Chandler and Spink 2008). The purpose of this study is to understand the complex issues that European female football players face through their International football pathway and the transitions they face through their football careers. The sample (n=17) were placed into three age categories (18-23, 24-28, 29-35) from six countries (Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Norway and The Netherlands) and were interviewed using semi structured interviews. Content analysis helped organize the raw data into interpretable and meaningful themes and categories. The findings offer preliminary evidence that the first two age categories have a smoother transition through their pathway although many self - sacrifices are evident, whereas the older age group found the transition into elite football far more problematic due to fewer support structures. This lack of resource is evident with the players having to plan sufficiently what they will do after their playing career has finished. The players do not earn anything close to their male counterparts and many of the players have to balance a part time job or education alongside their playing careers and adopting dual careers to enable them to have financial security in the future once their playing career is over.
Impacts of Women's Soccer: A Geographical Study of a Changing Spatial Relevance in Germany and Jordan
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Janine Maier
The growth of women's soccer is remarkable in view of the long history of bans and separate treatments. As the political and social patterns shift girls start to rise up. Soccer can be a driver for empowerment. Campaigns, events, role models and the sporting environment itself can inspire women to make a difference in their communities. According to the current discussion on gender issues in sports, women’s soccer is a relevant object of research. In particular the field of Sports Geography provides methods for the research on women's soccer and its spatial relevance. Findings, based on literature review and qualitative data, reveal that there is an ongoing diffusion und increasing importance of women's soccer. That leads to regional impacts and development. For instance changes are visible in the cultural landscape, the sporting infrastructure, the talent recruiting and educational system as well as in terms of gender roles and identities. This paper debates those findings for Germany and Jordan. In Germany women's soccer had to deal with a national ban until 1970. After a dynamic development, Germany is now number two of the FIFA ranking. In Jordan the FIFA`s ban on headscarfs prevented Muslim women from playing soccer. Since the ban was lifted in 2012, Jordan is the leading country in women's soccer in the Middle East. The Kingdom hosted the FIFA U-17 Women´s World Cup in 2016, the first FIFA women's event in the Arab World.
