“Bleacherreport.com” - Delainey Saxon
“Jen Welter on becoming NFL’s 1st Female Coach: It is an opportunity to inspire”
By: Damon Sayles
On a Monday afternoon, the Arizona Cardinals hired Dr. Jen Welter as a training camo/ preseason intern, coaching inside linebackers and making her what is believed the first woman to hold a coaching position of any kind in the National Football League (NFL). Welter was a 14-year-old girl playing football and kept pushing herself to become better. She is now known as a two-tine Team USA gold medalist in football. She continued her dream of football and became the first woman to coach men’s professional football for the Texas Revolution. Now she is located in Arizona along with the cardinals. She tells reporters that this was something she thought would never happen because society would not let her live her dream, but she did it anyway. Welter herd that the NFL was hiring and she applied for the job thinking she would never hear back from them, but she did. Her journey to get here was a little tough just because the NFL or any football organization is considered all males. The NFL general manager was struggling wrapping his head around giving her this opportunity to live out her dream, but later he decided that everyone should have a shot at their dreams. Welter’s got an opportunity of a lifetime, that almost no one ever could get. She is known as the first female coach in the NFL and people in our society have more respect for her than she could have ever thought they would.
Response:
I was touched by this article because it was just an amazing story how women have these dreams and goals, and to think that they could get crushed by a male who is in a higher power just is not right. Welter thought that she would get degraded for her gender because of males in a higher power. This is an example of gender roles being placed in society. I personally believe that the roles of this issue are being more persuaded now since this has been a major change to what used to be known as “normal”. Typically, you always see males coaching a “male” sport, and you would see females coaching a “female” sport. You cannot say that watching a male teach/coach ballet would be odd, but not saying that it could not happen, typically, one would just not see this because of the gender roles on society today. I was raised in the south, and I am an only child, the only girl. My father raised me to be a football, and baseball lover because that is the person he is. I know a lot about male sports because that is just what I like and how I was raised. I do think that women should follow their dreams more and to not get disappointed when they get judged on their gender saying that they cannot coach or do their lifelong dream. I would just like to say that Jen Welter’s is a role model for a lot of girls out there that love the sport of football and she is giving power and confidence in those to follow their dreams.
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