As a coach you are often not only responsible for teaching young players skills, but often you are also responsible for team selection. If you’re coaching junior teams, then the focus should be on participation rather than winning and all children should have opportunities to play in games/activities. If you’re coaching older children and young people, you are responsible for their safety and making fair and just decisions based on the circumstances surrounding the issue.

• Seek advice from the club’s administrator and be guided by your sport’s state/national sporting organisation’s policy and guidelines (if they exist).
• Be open minded and treat each request on its merits.
• Explore opportunities for supporting participation, particularly if you answer “yes” to the following questions:
  • Is your sport one where skill is more important than strength, stamina or physique?
  • Is the level of competition unaffected? (e.g., the inclusion of a girl/boy does not result in an unbalanced competition).
  • Will the inclusion of a player of the opposite sex let you field a team that you otherwise couldn’t?
  • Is this the only competition at this level she/he could reasonably
    join?
  • Can you manage any safety issues? Remember that as a coach you should be concerned about the safety of all team members regardless of gender.
  • Do other team members, parents/guardians and your sport support her/his inclusion?
• Understand if you and your club don’t respond to a parent or guardian’s request they may seek more formal action (e.g., complaining to your state sporting organisation or anti-discrimination agency).