Jennifer Welter

Jennifer Welter

refer to caption

Welter in 2014
Position: Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1977-10-27) October 27, 1977
Place of birth: Vero Beach, Florida
Height: 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Weight: 130 lb (59 kg)
Career information
College: Boston College, Capella University
Career history
As player:
As coach:

Jennifer Welter (born October 27, 1977) is an American football player and coach who coached inside linebackers for the National Football League's Arizona Cardinals during their training camp and the 2015 preseason. The signing with the Arizona Cardinals made her the first female coach in the NFL.[1][2][3] This is her third "first" for men's football in 2014 and 2015.

On February 12, 2015, the Indoor Football League's Texas Revolution named Welter their linebackers and special teams coach making her the first woman to coach in a men's professional football league.[4]

On January 24, 2014, the Revolution announced signing 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m), 130 lb (59.0 kg) Jennifer Welter as a running back. This made her the second female player for a position other than kicker or placekick-holder on a men's professional football team, and the first at running back.[5] She is not the first female to play a male dominant sport; however, she is the first woman to play a "contact" position in a male dominant sport.

Welter was featured in Mogul's #IAmAMogul campaign as part of Women's History Month in March, 2016 for "changing the perception of what it means to be an NFL coach."[6]

Prior competition

Welter is a veteran of several women's professional and semi-professional football teams (including the Dallas Diamonds and Dallas Dragons).[7] She was a gold medal-winning member of Team USA at the International Federation of American Football's (IFAF) Women's World Championship in 2010 and 2013.[5][8][9] She played rugby in college.[10]

Texas Revolution

On February 12, 2015, the Texas Revolution introduced Welter as their new linebackers and special teams coach. She is the first woman to coach in a men's professional football league.[5]

Welter's first action as a Revolution running back came during a preseason game on February 15, 2014, against the North Texas Crunch. Welter rushed for three carries for −1 yards.[11][12][13][14][15] On February 19, the Revolution named Welter to their 2014 regular season roster.[16][17]

Arizona Cardinals

On July 27, 2015, the Arizona Cardinals hired Welter as an assistant coaching intern for training camp and the preseason; as such, she is believed to be the first female coach in the NFL.[18][19] Her internship with the Cardinals expired after the team's third preseason game on August 30, 2015.[20] Her coaching style does not differ from many, according to Cardinals' Tyrann Mathieu. The Arizona Cardinals enters the 2015-2016 NFL season with a record of 3-0. The Washington Post most recently added that: "The biggest question coming in was would guys in the NFL respond to a woman coaching them, and the obvious answer is yes".[21]

Education

Welter graduated from Boston College and has a master’s degree in Sport psychology and a PhD in psychology from Capella University, an online, higher education institution in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Edholm, Eric. "Arizona Cardinals hire NFL's first-ever female coaching intern". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  2. ↑ Urban, Darren (July 27, 2015). "Cardinals Add First Female Coach". azcardinals.com. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  3. ↑ Roberts, Daniel (September 2, 2015). "The NFL's first female coach is no longer coaching". Fortune (Time Inc.). Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  4. ↑ Ojeda, Louis, Jr. (February 12, 2015). "Texas indoor pro football team first to hire woman to coaching staff". Fox Sports Southwest. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Ojeda, Louis Jr. (January 24, 2014). "Indoor football team signs first female running back". Fox Sports Southwest. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  6. ↑ "#IAmAMogul Because I Have Changed The Perception of What It Means To Be An NFL Coach. By Dr. Jen Welter". Mogul. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  7. ↑ Feagans, Brittany (April 11, 2014). "Jen Welter: Beneath the helmet". Allen American (Allen, TX: Star Local News). Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  8. ↑ Welch, Matt (January 21, 2014). "Female football standout Welter to try out for Texas Revolution". Allen American (Allen, TX: Star Local News). Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  9. ↑ Ross, Catherine (January 28, 2014). "Addison Woman Tries Out For Indoor Football League". KXAS-TV. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  10. ↑ "First female coach".
  11. ↑ Lunsford, Mat (February 16, 2014). "Revs Crush Crunch in season opener". Texas Revolution press release. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  12. ↑ Mandell, Nina (February 16, 2014). "Jen Welter becomes first woman to play in men's pro football league in contact position". USA Today. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Running Back Jennifer Welter Makes History By Playing In Pro Football Game". ThePostGame.com. February 17, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  14. ↑ Townsend, Brad (February 16, 2014). "First woman to play running back in a pro game gets walloped — and respected — in Allen". The Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX: A. H. Belo). Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  15. ↑ Hernandez, Lee (February 18, 2014). "Jen Welter Makes Debut as First Female Pro Running Back". People. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Jennifer Welter, 1st woman RB in men's pro football league, makes Texas Revolution's regular-season roster". The Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX: A. H. Belo). February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  17. ↑ Trieb, Erin (February 25, 2014). "Texas Woman Tackles Boundaries on Pro Football Team". NBC News. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Jen Welter hired by Arizona Cardinals as assistant coach". Espn.go.com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Cardinals Hire Female Assistant Coach". The New York Times. AP. July 27, 2015.
  20. ↑ Bieler, Des (September 2, 2015). "Jen Welter is no longer an NFL coach after her Cardinals internship ended". The Washington Post. Early Lead (blog). Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  21. ↑ Bieler, Des. "Jen Welter is no longer and NFL coach after her cardinals internship ended". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Dr. Jen Welter". LinkedIn. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
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