Work

Invisible Labor in Athletic Family Systems: The Role of Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs) in Sport

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Elite and high-performance sport is frequently framed as an individual or coach–athlete endeavor, obscuring the broader family systems that sustain athletic careers. Recent scholarship has begun to document the central role of wives and partners within athletic family systems, highlighting the extensive emotional, domestic, logistical, and identity-related labor they perform to support athletic participation and success. Despite its centrality, this labor remains largely invisible within sport science research, organizational policy, and athlete support structures. Drawing on feminist theories of care and family system theory, this narrative review synthesizes interdisciplinary literature examining the unpaid and unrecognized labor of women partners, also commonly referred to as the wives and girlfriends (WAGs), across athletic career stages. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Source: Social Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/socsci15040261

Authors: Ashley J. Blount, Abby L. Bjornsen, Kayla J. Hundt, Kara M. Schneider

Institution: University of Nebraska at Omaha

Language: English

Topic: Sports, Gender, and Society

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172