Jo Line, PhD, is the Program Director for Community-Engaged Research and Learning and a lecturer at Oberlin College, US who has spent over a decade studying sport from a socio-cultural perspective. They are the Athletics Inclusive Climate and Belonging Senior Specialist for the nonprofit Athlete Ally, consulting with college and university athletic departments nationwide to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sport. They apply an intersectional approach to examine facilitators and barriers to athletes’ participation in and enjoyment of sport, with the aim of encouraging inclusive and collaborative team cultures that enable every team member to thrive. Jo's expertise in engaging team members in coaction is informed by their personal experience navigating competitive and recreational sport environments around the world as a soft-spoken synergistic nonbinary queer white competitive distance runner, coaching NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, USCAA, and post-collegiate competitive and recreational athletes, and their academic training in Exercise and Sport Studies and American Culture Studies. Jo is dedicated to helping coaches nurture athletes’ individual and collective capacity by encouraging athletes to identify and apply their unique strengths while working toward team goals.
""As a scholar in coach education, I constantly seek innovative approaches that serve all athletes. This book delivers precisely that. For too long, sport has clung to a narrow, hierarchical view of leadership. This insightful book dismantles those limitations, offering a powerful, inclusive alternative in 'coaction' and provides a compelling and actionable framework for coaches to move beyond traditional, exclusionary leadership models. Prepare to rethink how you empower your athletes – this book is a game-changer."" Nicole M. LaVoi, PhD, Director, Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of Minnesota “Sport in our country is in desperate need of a revolution, and shifting from leadership to coaction is the way. This book invites us to shift our mindset and actions on and off the field to create a sports culture that is healthier and athletes who are empowered, interconnected, and more fully actualized. Dr. Line hits the perfect mix of theory and practice, highlighting the voices of athletes, coaches, and experts in the field. Rigorous and inspiring, deeply exciting and immediately accessible, this book will be a constant companion for coaches, administrators, athletes and parents. Dr. Line sees the future of sports clearly and shows how coaction will lead us all to more joy, transformation, and community in sport.” Ellie Roscher, Author of Fair Game: Trans Inclusion And The Future Of Sports “A must read for anyone who plays a role within a group or team, with a special focus on athletic coaches, administrators, and support staff involved in sports. Anyone who works with others will find value in these pages. In particular, those who view the world through a collective lens, appreciate the power of collaboration and recognize that a team’s strength lies in its members’ unique qualities will discover validation, visibility, and encouragement to trust their instincts, along with practical tools and strategies to immediately apply. This book is for those who know there has to be a better way.” Barb Anthony, MSSA LISW-S, Founder/Executive Director of Play Gap