Arizona Cardinals Hire NFL’s First Female Coach
The Arizona Cardinals broke new ground on Monday when they hired the NFL’s first female coach. Jen Welter was brought on as a pre-season intern to coach inside linebackers. According to the Arizona Cardinals team website head coach Bruce Arians doesn’t think Welter being a woman will be a problem for the players.
“Coaching is nothing more than teaching. One thing I have learned from players is, ‘How are you going to make me better? If you can make me better, I don’t care if you’re the Green Hornet, man, I’ll listen.’ I really believe she’ll have a great opportunity with this internship through training camp to open some doors for her.”
Welter is a former rugby collegiate rugby player who then played 14 seasons of professional football. She was a linebackers and special teams coach for the Texas Revolution of the Champions Indoor Football League. She holds a PhD in psychology and played running back for the Revolution becoming the first female to play professional football in a male league at a non-kicking position.
Welter shared her joy about her new coaching position on Twitter.
I'm honored to be part of the #BIRDGANG! Love the #footballfamily here with the #ArizonaCardinals #NFL… http://t.co/vPdmyKH2hi
— Dr. Jen Welter (@jwelter47) July 28, 2015
S/o to all the women who love & play football. I want to share this moment w/ you! Ladies, anything is possible! #nfl pic.twitter.com/s4gIvHm4CQ
— Dr. Jen Welter (@jwelter47) July 28, 2015
Cardinals linebacker Kevin Mineter reached out to welcome coach Welter via Twitter.
S/O to @jwelter47….Welcome to AZ coach
— Kevin Minter (@Kmint_46) July 28, 2015
It has been a good year for women in sports. Sarah Thomas became the NFL’s first full-time female official back in April. Thomas told ESPN that she just wants to be like the male officials.
“I approach it just as an official, and I’ve been doing this. I know it may be [a novelty] for some, but I think being part of the developmental program and going that way — maybe they’ll see me just as an official. That’s how I want them to see me.”
The NBA has had female referees for years, and this past season the San Antonio Spurs had Becky Hammon on their coaching staff. Hammon was given the opportunity to coach the Spurs in the NBA Summer League and she ran with it, and led her squad to the championship. Her success led to talk that Hammon will one day be the first female head coach in the NBA. As reported on earlier here at the Inquisitr, Hammon was praised by her players as being a player’s coach.
Do you think Jen Welter will succeed as the NFL’s first female coach? What is the next barrier you would like to see women break in sports?
[Image by Michael Thomas/Getty Images/Twitter]
