Jen Welter was hired as a coach for the Arizona Cardinals this week, becoming the first woman ever to be a National Football League coach. She will coach inside linebackers and intern at the Cardinals’ training camp.
Welter has a history of firsts in her career. She was running back in the Texas Revolution of Indoor Football League, making her the first woman to play a non-kicking position in a men’s pro league, and later became a coach for the team – and the Indoor Football League’s first female coach ever. Welter, who played women’s pro football for 14 seasons, has a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology and Ph.D. in Psychology.
She joins a growing list of women breaking barriers in professional men’s sports. Just this season, Sarah Thomas was named the first female referee official for the NFL. And San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon made history as the first woman to coach an NBA team. This season Hammon was put in charge of the team’s squad, coaching them so far through a record of 6 consecutive wins and 1 loss.
“I want little girls everywhere to grow up knowing they can do anything, even play football,” Welter told NBC.
Media Resources: NBC 7/28/15
