Cardinals changing the game with new linebacker intern
From team ownerships to sports commentators and now coaching, women have made their debut in the world of sports. The face of professional sports will change dramatically as Jen Welter becomes the first female coach in NFL history. Welter will be joining the Arizona Cardinals as an intern starting this preseason.
“I could not have dreamed big enough to imagine that this day would ever come,” Welter said regarding her monumental moment in a Cardinals press conference this July. After playing women’s football for 13 years with little-to-no recognition, she is ready to take her place in the NFL.
Welter describes what this means for women in sports, “I think the beauty of this is that, though it’s a dream I never could’ve had, it’s a dream other girls can grow up and have.” She believes her position can help inspire women to work towards whatever they want to do. “It shows [young girls] that anything’s possible and that’s so beautiful to me,” she adds.
Cardinals’ Head Coach Bruce Arians states that Welter was hired because of her skill, not her gender. “Our players only want to be taught how to be better, they really don’t care who teaches it to them…we met and I knew this was the type of person that I was looking for…” he explained.
Prejudice in sports is not only an issue on the professional level, but for high school athletes, as well. As a member of the golf and softball team, Senior Hannah Johnson faces discrimination daily for being female. She described how being female means you have to work even harder just to be recognized:“Typically with men, if you’re a girl… you have to work really hard to earn their respect and you have to prove yourself that you can be just as good as they are and if you’re not, they kinda look down on you and they don’t necessarily take you as seriously,” she commented.
Being a female athlete, Johnson understands the difficulty of working for what you want. She believes what Welter has done is groundbreaking and will help break stereotypes. “She’s taking a step forward for women and she’s making a future for women;” she says, “It might be hard for her now, but in the future it’ll be easier for someone else to get a job coaching in the NFL.”
Knowing this, Welter wants to make a change in our society and hopes her hard work will influence others. “I want little girls to grow up knowing that when they put their mind to something, when they work hard that they can do anything.” she says.
Welter’s new position has already shook the world of sports and will continue to do so as she inspires others to work towards their goals, regardless of the stereotypes they may face.