Women’s athletics enjoys a media profile that is arguably equal to the coverage received by men’s competition, thanks to the exploits of the likes of Blanka Vlasic, Jessica Ennis, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and others.
Off the track, however, there is still plenty of work to be done to ensure that women are represented equally in other roles in the sport - from coaching to administration to leadership. It is a situation that Brigita Langerholc Zager, winner of the 2013 European Athletics Women’s Leadership Award from Slovenia, is determined to address.
The former international 800m runner retired in 2008 after a successful competitive career, which included a gold medal at the World University Games and a 4th place at the Olympic Games in Sydney, and immediately turned to coaching.
“I love to work with teenagers who have a great potential to achieve something,” she says. “I felt I would regret it if I didn’t pass on the experience and knowledge and training I got through my 18-year career in athletics.”
At the same time as her move into coaching, Brigita became the president of the Athletes Commission at the Slovenian National Olympic Committee. Even she was surprised at the speed of her progression through the administrative ranks, so soon after retirement.
“I did not expect that role so soon, but I took it with great passion,” she says. I’ve always fought for changes and improvement of athletes’ conditions in sport.”
“On the commission we have lots of responsibilities and each member is in charge of one big project. My part is education for athletes and athletes’ employment after their sports careers are over.”
Yet it is coaching to which Brigita gives her highest value: “I am most passionate about coaching and teaching young, talented athletes about life through sport and the obstacles that they need to overcome at certain phases of their training and competitions. I love to be on the field, coaching and advising young people and I love being a female coach, because there are not many women coaching athletics in our country.”
Brigita’s position on the Athletes Commission and her passion for coaching led to an appointment by the National Olympic Committee to lead a project looking into the engagement of coaches across all sports in the country.
“In Slovenia, women coaches are almost never elected to go with the national team abroad to competitions and we have to fight much more for our recognition,” she explains. “It is starting to open up in a few sports, but I think it will take a couple more years for women to appreciate themselves and take more of the leading positions in sports communities.”
“I look to Scandinavia, where there are more women leaders at the executive level in companies and where it is common to have more women coaches in sport. I wish for it to be the same in Slovenia. It is coming, but very slowly.”“Brigita has been doing a great job and has already achieved much, both as a coach and as a leader in sport,” says Luka Steiner, the secretary of the Slovenian athletics federation. “Her biggest strengths are her experience and, of course the passion and determination that made her one of our top athletes.”
“We consider her a strong role model who is helping to engage more women at every level of athletics and there is no doubt she will be climbing the leadership ladder even further in the future.”
Indeed, the determination that Brigita showed as an athlete manifests itself in her current ambitions.
“I want to be the best female athletics coach in Europe and I want to coach young athletes internationally, not just in Slovenia,” she reveals. “I would also like to be active in administration, perhaps even on the International Olympic Committee.”
Brigita Langerholc Zager is on a one-woman mission to change athletics for women in her country.
The European Athletics Women's Leadership Awards
The aim of the European Athletics Women's Leadership Awards is to recognise the behind the scenes work and accomplishments that have helped to make the winners role models for other women in athletics. Coaching young athletes, officiating, setting up and managing clubs . . . their achievements are as varied as the individuals themselves.
In 2013, 26 women including Brigita Langerholc Zager were selected for the award by their national athletics federations.