A former coach is questioning Nike-linked CoachingHER over its definition of girls, gender-bias training and its approach to female sports.
A former coach is raising concerns about CoachingHER, a Nike-linked program designed to help coaches address gender bias and keep girls involved in sports, arguing that its definition of “girls” raises broader questions about the program’s mission.
Sarah Barker, a former coach and creator of The Female Category, spent months reviewing CoachingHER’s training modules, research and stated goals. She told OutKick that what she found differed from how she believes the program is presented to coaches.
The controversy centers on how CoachingHER defines girls, what coaches are taught about gender and whether the program’s emphasis on unconscious bias addresses the primary reasons young athletes leave sports.
CoachingHER faces scrutiny over definition of girls
CoachingHER’s current FAQ defines girls as people under 18 who were assigned female at birth or identify as a girl. The program also says it is inclusive of gender-expansive identities.
That language has become a central point of Barker’s criticism.
She argues that the definition expands the scope of a program that is marketed specifically around supporting girls in athletics and changes the context in which coaches are taught to approach gender and sports.
The CoachingHER website describes its courses as providing “girl-centered strategies” designed to help coaches create supportive and inclusive environments for girls.
Nike helped launch CoachingHER
CoachingHER was launched in 2023 through a collaboration between Nike and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota.
Nike said the free digital resource was created to help coaches recognize unconscious gender biases and stereotypes that can negatively affect girls’ experiences in sports.
The program contains seven training modules focused on coaching and gender bias.
Nike continues to publicly promote CoachingHER, while the program’s website displays Nike’s branding. However, OutKick reported that Nike’s current financial role in the program was unclear.
OutKick said it asked Nike about its current funding, involvement in developing the curriculum and position on CoachingHER’s definition of girls. The publication also contacted the Tucker Center and CoachingHER for responses to Barker’s criticisms.
None had responded before publication, according to OutKick.
Former coach questions gender-bias focus
Barker’s criticism extends beyond the program’s definition of girls.
She questioned whether coaches’ gender bias is actually among the leading reasons girls leave organized sports.
According to Barker, her review of research cited by CoachingHER did not show coaches’ gender bias or views about gender identity among the primary reasons girls drop out.
That led her to question why a program intended to keep girls participating in sports places such a strong emphasis on changing coaches’ understanding of gender.
Barker said she supports the goal of keeping girls involved in athletics but believes the program’s approach does not match what she sees as the central issues affecting female participation.
CoachingHER says it aims to reduce gender inequality
CoachingHER presents a different rationale for its training.
The program says it is designed to help coaches recognize and reduce unconscious gender bias and stereotypes while creating environments that support girls’ participation and long-term success.
Research associated with the program has also reported that coaches who completed CoachingHER demonstrated lower levels of gender bias than coaches who did not take the training.
That research is part of the broader academic and coaching framework behind the program.
The disagreement, therefore, is not simply about whether gender bias exists in sports but about how coaches should interpret gender, identity and sex differences while working with female athletes.
Program expands into college and sports organizations
CoachingHER’s reach has expanded since its launch.
The Tucker Center’s Educational Champions initiative encourages professors and institutions to use individual CoachingHER modules or full courses in areas including coaching education, sports psychology, gender studies, athlete development and physical education.
In May 2026, USA Weightlifting announced a partnership with the Tucker Center giving eligible members access to CoachingHER courses through its learning platform.
USA Weightlifting described the training as a way to help coaches recognize and reduce unconscious gender bias and create environments that support girls’ participation and success.
The expansion has increased the potential reach of the program beyond its original audience of youth coaches.
Debate highlights wider fight over women’s sports
The dispute comes as questions about sex, gender identity and competitive fairness continue to divide the sports world.
Critics of transgender participation in women’s and girls’ sports argue that biological differences can affect athletic performance and that female-only categories exist to protect opportunities for biological females.
Supporters of transgender inclusion argue that sports organizations should create environments where transgender and gender-expansive athletes can participate without discrimination.
CoachingHER’s approach places inclusion and gender-bias education at the center of its training, while Barker argues that coaches should be allowed to recognize sex-based distinctions without being characterized as biased.
Nike-linked program under growing scrutiny
The controversy puts additional attention on a program that was created with the stated goal of helping girls remain involved in sports.
Barker maintains that the definition of “girls” used by CoachingHER and its emphasis on gender identity fundamentally alter how that mission should be understood.
Meanwhile, CoachingHER continues to describe itself as a framework for reducing gender inequalities and helping coaches create better experiences for girls in sports.
With the program now reaching colleges and national sports organizations, the debate over its curriculum is likely to extend beyond individual coaches.
For critics such as Barker, the central question remains whether a program designed to protect and promote girls’ sports should define the category of “girls” through both biological sex and gender identity.
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