NFL creates position to address the lack of women in coaching roles
The NFL has officially created a position to address the league’s lack of women in coaching and scouting roles, reports Jane McManus of ESPN.
Sam Rapoport, former women’s professional, will head up the project as director of football development. Of course, the NFL has lagged behind basketball and soccer in terms of opportunities for women at the highest level and Rapoport will aim to identity those with knowledge and train them up.
Ideally, McManus says, this will “create a space for those women in the social networks that often lead to jobs in football.” According to McManus, only 30% of the NFL’s front offices are made up of women, a number that should only rise as Rapoport puts her plans into place. The NFL has always been seen as a ‘boy’s league,’ but props are well-deserved to the organization for finally working to reverse the trend and create equal opportunity for all. “
My role is to create programming to show them that the pipeline is open to them,” Rapoport said Tuesday, “and create that pipeline for females to enter into positions that were traditionally held by men.”
Since the Arizona Cardinals’ hiring of Jen Welter — the first female football coach in the NFL — and the Buffalo Bills’ Kathryn Smith — the first full-time female coach in the NFL — it’s obvious that women have always been passionate about the sport, but have gone without opportunity until now. Cheers to the NFL and good luck to Rapoport on changing the way we coach, play, and learn about football.
Jane McManus — NFL tabs Sam Rapoport to help open job ‘pipeline’ for women at team level
