Sports and Leadership Communication: Lessons from Ruth Beitia

Abstract

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This paper addresses the subject of female leadership in sports. In this paper we wilt focus on the figure of Spanish athlete Ruth Beitia, a retired high jumper who is the reigning Olympic champion in women's high jump since 2016, being the first Spanish female medal in athletics. First, we will provide a theoretical background reviewing the literature about women leadership in sports, addressing the new shift in visibility 'women have finally managed to achieve in this field. Female sports leadership literature focuses mostly on the importance of networking, mentoring, childhood experiences and the role of parents and coaches when shaping female leader figures in sports, including a section on the transformational style of. leadership that has also been identified as characteristic of many female sports leaders. We will also address the more negative side of sports life: retirement, and the importance coaches have when preparing athletes to this change. Then, we will analyze the case of Ruth Beitia to see if these studies can be applied to her leadership style, focusing not only on her individual work but also on her support group and the strong influence of her coach, who has also taught her the importance of open, two-way communication. We will finish by offering recommendations for organizations' leaders based on Beitia's example.