Females Working for NFL Jobs

  

"You can't work for the NFL if you're a girl," declared my close friend. "only old men work for the NFL."

Needless to say, my reaction looked a little like this:

This was said to me several months ago, and since then, something spectacular happened in the NFL world that made me think of this comment immediately. The first female coach was hired, and her name is Jen 'Dr. J' Welter. She was hired by the Arizona Cardinals as a training camp intern in late July and lasted until August. Although she is yet to be hired by another NFL team, she has inspired many women who wish to do the same thing.

So, there must be some difference between her and other NFL coaches, right? Well, according to the cornerback for the Cardinals, "She fits right in. You don't even know that she's a woman when she's in there giving guys technical input."

In other words, gender doesn't define greatness. Great people- no matter what gender- define greatness. 

So, Mr. Close Friend Of Mine, still believe girls can't work for the NFL? Let's talk more.

Sonia Gysland is another inspiring female in the NFL as an athletic trainer, and is a member of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS). According to this article, "she's almost impossible to keep up with."
                                                                               
Athletic training includes a wide range of duties from treating injuries on the sideline, to unloading equipment at the stadium in preparation for taping ankles or other various body parts. These duties are completely capable of getting completed by women, even though this field has been dominated by men for a long time.

Going back to the article about Grysland, she exclaimed in an interview that she thinks it's "easier for a team to hire a female when they've already done it in the past and it had worked out great."

This sounds pretty accurate, and I'm sure aspiring athletic trainers (including myself) are thanking her for leaving such a great impression as a female working in the NFL.

Consider this when going back to the quote from the beginning: "only old men work for the NFL."
Sure, men have dominated jobs for male-dominated sports for a very long time. It's just a fact. However, these slowly-appearing female faces in the NFL might just help turn that around.

Furthermore, on the site for PFATS, there is a bold statement in the scholarship section that states, "Female athletic training students are encouraged to apply." Afterall, they're looking for knowledgeable, hard-working people. Not just knowledgeable, hard-working men.

Overall, I think it's important to realize that it doesn't matter what gender you are. If you want a career in a male-dominated field, then work hard and do it. If you want a career in a female-dominated field, then work hard and do it. Gender doesn't matter.

Talk to you soon,
Alexis