From outside appearances, football is traditionally a male dominated sport. BUT if you really look at the people involved in all the flag football clubs, your local high school teams, and even the pro teams, you will find the girls. I love pointing out these women to my own daughters. It shows them that girls can do anything and it is the girls who don’t let societal norms dictate their dreams that we should be celebrating!
Here are three women in football who we celebrate:
Meet Sarah Thomas, the first women referee for an NFL team. Sarah has refereed for 8 seasons and, in 2022, was the first women to referee for a Super Bowl Game. We will be watching the sidelines this year as more women are finding their careers as football referees.
Jennifer King is the first African American NFL fulltime football coach. She was just promoted last year to the assistant running backs coach for the Washington Commanders. How awesome for her making it to the pro level of coaching! She is one of many female football coaches you can find across the country at all levels and ages of players.
Sarah Fuller is currently a college soccer player for North Texas, but she made history in 2020 as the first female to score a point in a college football conference game when she successfully kicked the extra point for Vanderbilt. She is a role model to young women on and off the soccer and football fields!
There are so many other women in football we could highlight and share with our daughters. If your child is interested in trying the sport, you can use this online tool to find a league near you. There are many co-ed options, flag football teams, and touch teams available. Your child might be the next one changing the sport and making history!
