Women Challenging the Status Quo
Something new and exciting is happening in the world of football!! A sport that, let’s be honest, is mostly ruled by men. After the last year of countless football players being charged with domestic violence, the NFL was seeing quite a backlash from many fans. It seems as though they are responding to this by "mixing things up a little" and drafting women to play a much bigger role.
As someone who has a great interest in watching football, I have never really questioned why women were not being better represented. It’s always been that way and it seemed like it would always stay that way. Football is played by men, coached by men and, until more recently, overwhelmingly watched by men. The only place women had was on the sideline wearing skimpy outfits and cheering the men on. This year, however, women will have a new place in the institution of football.
The Arizona Cardinals have hired Jen Welter to help coach their linebackers at training camps and for the preseason. This is the first time the NFL has hired a female coach. She’s got some experience playing football too. Her qualifications include playing on a professional women's league for over 10 years as well as being asked to play on The Revolution, an all-male Indoor Football team. She is one tough lady who is clearly right for the job!
Along with hiring the first female coach, the NFL has also hired the first full-time female referee, Sarah Thomas. She has been refereeing for almost 20 years and started her career officiating grade school games. Since then she has moved up the ranks, and was the first woman to referee in a major college football game. As of this post she has already officiated her first NFL preseason game.
These women are inspiring young girls, and women all across the country. Their message is clear: If you work hard and are passionate about something you can push boundaries of what is expected of you. We can only hope they are the first of many women to be involved with football and other male dominated sports.
