After coaching a winning boys soccer team for two years, Tanya Babuin wishes her dismissal from the position could be related to anything other than her gender. But she's stumped.
There appears to be no other reason, she said.
Two seasons ago, the Squamish Youth Soccer Association member took over coaching for the under-16-year-old boys travel team when the former coach departed. The fresh group was made up of 14- and 15-year-olds. Because of their young mix, the team's odds didn't look good, said Jonas Worth, the soccer association's technical director.
Yet the Squamish Red Devils won the league, finishing their first year virtually undefeated. The next year, the team was moved up an age bracket to play in an under-18 year-old league. Despite the team's young composition, the Devils finished fourth out of 10 teams, Worth said, noting the team still made the cup final.
So when the association's board sat down to sort out who would coach what, Worth said he assumed Babuin would keep her position. He was wrong.
I was shocked. I had thought it was a no-brainer, Worth said.
Two people applied for the job Babuin and a male applicant. During the voting process, a board member commented on how at this age level, a man should coach boys and a woman should coach girls, Worth said.
The subject had come up earlier in the meeting, when the board discussed a different girls' team, he said. In that instance the board stuck with the male coach because he was more suitable, Worth said.
When it came up again with the U18 boys travel team, Worth said he believes Babuin was discriminated against because of her gender.
Besides Babuin, the soccer association has two other female coaches at the head of its travel teams, he said. The majority of the girls' soccer teams are coached by males, he noted, adding he hasn't heard complaints in that regard.
Babuin has spent eight years coaching boys soccer. The 41-year-old Vancouver Coastal Health care aide was one of the main forces behind fundraising for Squamish's new artificial turf field.
It's difficult to come by female coaches in the league and women should be encouraged to take on the role, Worth said. While studying at the University of British Columbia, Worth completed his Masters degree on leadership in women's soccer. He said he never thought he'd be put in a situation where he was forced to defend a coach's gender.
We are talking about a winning coach that the team is happy with after two years of service, Worth said.
Out of respect for the people involved and in accordance with the association's legal obligations, soccer club officials are unable to discuss matters concerning specific individuals, league president Katrina Doherty wrote in an email to The Chief.
The club is committed to the principles of openness and inclusiveness, and its decisions, including coaching decisions, are governed by what officials feel are in the best interests of the club's members, she wrote. The organization is fortunate to have so many people wanting to volunteer their time, energy and experience to the club, Doherty wrote.
Each year, those interested in volunteering as coaches are considered on the basis of several factors, she stated.
Regrettably, but inevitably, the selection of one volunteer over another results in disappointment, Doherty wrote. Our sincere hope is that any person who is not selected to fill a preferred position will choose to work with us in another capacity to ensure the growth of soccer in our community.
