1 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to playmakers. I'm Haley Elwood. We're joining me today 2 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: is doctor Jen Walter. Jen is the first female coach 3 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: in the NFL and currently she has committed to increasing 4 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: access and opportunities in the game of football. She also 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: has a really cool partnership with the Hall of Fame Village, 6 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: which we will get to later. Jen, thanks for coming on. 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: How are you. Absolutely it's great to join you today. 8 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 1: I am actually just up the road in la I 9 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: moved here in March, so when the world is not eared, 10 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: hopefully we'll be able to, you know, do this in person. Yes, yes, well, 11 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: thank you for doing it virtually at least. Hey, that's 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: the magic of Zoom in twenty twenty. I had Laura 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: Oakman on last week and she made a joke, is 14 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: anyone having a better twenty twenty than Zoom this year? 15 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, maybe Amazon having like a Best Buddies part. 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: That's true, is what it is. Yeah, yeah, So getting 17 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: to you. You broke barriers, you kicked glass, as you 18 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: like to say, as the first female coach in the 19 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: NFL back in twenty fifteen with the Arizona Cardinals. What 20 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: did accomplishing that mean to you? You know, to me, 21 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: it meant giving permission to every girl and woman who 22 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: had loved football to be able to see herself in 23 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: the game. It was, you know, it was so interesting. 24 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: I tell people all the time, and who knows if 25 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: I would have done it the same thing, but you know, 26 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: they launched it at this NFL press conference and everybody's 27 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: asking me all these questions and I'm like, right, the 28 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: closest I've been in NFL sidelines before that was like 29 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: the nosebleed section, right, And they're all like, oh my gosh, 30 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: you know, coach, you're living the dream. And I was 31 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: just like, no, yeah, that's not a dream I was 32 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: permitted to have. But what is so beautiful about this 33 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: is that now every little girl can look at the 34 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,279 Speaker 1: sidelines and have that dream, and hopefully it will spark 35 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: something and she will follow it, just like seeing you 36 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: on the sidelines doesn't seeing so many different things. It's like, 37 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: it's so important to be able to visualize it, because 38 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: that's where, you know, we really change things, because that 39 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: little girl gets to start earlier, she gets to study harder, 40 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: for longer, and do all of the things that a 41 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: boy would do with that same dream. Representation matters, see matters. 42 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: And for you you mentioned the press conference. Were you 43 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: aware of the magnitude in the moment though, you know? 44 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: I yes and no, right, Like it felt so big, 45 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: right because I mean, you know there's there's standing room 46 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: only like an NFL press conference, and you know women 47 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 1: in football. I mean I played for the US national 48 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: team and no one even we existed. So to see that, 49 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: it was like, oh my goodness. And yet I think 50 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: what helped with the magnitude is that, you know, it 51 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: wasn't it was a natural evolution, right. It wasn't like 52 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: the Cardinals set out and said we're going to hire 53 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: a woman because of this. It was like, you know, 54 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: here's somebody in the game who really loves the game 55 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 1: the same way, and we're doing the right thing. And 56 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: I think that's why some of the things I said 57 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: really resonated with people. And then had I always like 58 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: to say, like ripple effects, to continue to open heart, 59 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: open mind, open conversations, and then open doors because it 60 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: did feel big. But to see all of the things 61 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: that have happened from then until now, I definitely couldn't 62 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: have seen all of that. Well, and we're going to 63 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: talk about one of those ripple effects right now. Week 64 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: three of the twenty twenty seasons saw the Cleveland Browns 65 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: and the Washington football team meeting. That game featured two 66 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 1: female assistant coaches for both teams on the sidelines for 67 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: the same time. Sarah Thomas actually also was an official 68 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: in that game. What was it like seeing something like 69 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: that happen? Well, you know, seeing Sarah first of all, 70 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: is a huge thing for me because when she got hired, right, 71 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: it was her hiring that prompted a reporter like you 72 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: to ask when you would ever see a female coach 73 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: in the NFL. And Bruce's answer was the second woman 74 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: proof she can, you know, make these guys better, she'll 75 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: be hired. So Sarah is a dear friend to this 76 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: day and we laugh and say our destinies have been 77 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: connected and we'll be throughout time. Right because the day 78 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: when we shook hands on the sidelines, that was something 79 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: so normal, right, coaches and refs, you know, shake hands, 80 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: bunches of time, NFL Sunday, and yet that was the 81 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: first time in the history of the game that that 82 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: handshake was two women, right, and that you know, her 83 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: flag and hat and my shirt. Then we're taking a cannon, right, 84 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: And that was a first for even the women there, right. 85 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: So everything with Sarah always feels like, oh, that's my girl, 86 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: Like even seeing her last night on Sunday Night of 87 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: Football with her ponytail out. Yeah, when she was first 88 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: doing it, her ponytail was always chopped in. I'm like, yeah, 89 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: let me see that blonde ponytail popping. Let's go Sarah, right, 90 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: And so it's always like that with her. But what 91 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: a lot of people don't know is that it was 92 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: a family affair as I watched it for all of 93 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: those women, because in a way it is. But like 94 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: Callie Brunson and I played together on Team USA, right, 95 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: we've won gold together. We played against each other in 96 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: women's football, but we've won gold medals together. Jennifer King 97 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: and I were together in the Alliance of American Football, 98 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: and so it was like, it's like you see that 99 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: and it's like a family reunion. Yeah, you know, like, 100 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, I just want to hug all of 101 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: you and I'm so proud, right, And and that's Hopefulfully, 102 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: what is being seated now is that moments will continue 103 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: to happen and we'll have that network and that shared 104 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: story that won't always be first, although we love them 105 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: and we celebrate them because otherwise there isn't an opportunity 106 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: for a second, right, but that we will have many more. 107 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: You know, football family moments, just like the guys do. So, Jen, 108 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: you reference so many things, they're one of them. You 109 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: mentioned Bruce Bruce arians who is obviously the coach of 110 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 1: the Cardinals when you were hired. We talk a lot 111 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: in this business with women about finding strength within ourselves, 112 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: within our own gender. But make no mistake, this is 113 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: still a very male dominated industry. So what can you 114 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: say about men like Bruce who are really advocates for 115 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: women and the progression of moving women forward. Well, you know, 116 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: it's so interesting, like the advancement of women is it 117 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: shouldn't be like we want women and no men, right 118 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: like when we do it, it's it's men and women 119 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: learning that we're better together, ye right that you know 120 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: if you look at a coaching step for example, that 121 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: like you know, different communication styles are an advantage, not 122 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: a disadvantage, and different players might relate better. So we 123 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: want men and women to get more comfortable working together 124 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: and to learn how to be great allies. For each other, right, 125 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: And that's what it's about. You know, people would ask 126 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: me about it and there you know, I always say, 127 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: like I was, like, I'm a woman for women, but 128 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: make no mistake, like I'm also a big advocate for 129 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: an ally of men because my biggest greats came from men. 130 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: Not that women wouldn't have done it, but at that 131 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: time they couldn't because there were no women there, right, Like, 132 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: and I've had I say, like great NFL big brothers 133 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: along the way. And so we want to just get 134 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: better at being together and making it not alien to 135 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: think that we can work really well together and that 136 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: it's actually a strategic advantage at all levels. Right, Diversity 137 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: is without a doubt of strength, and we want to 138 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: find a way to have all of those diverse talents 139 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: and advantage points in the room and in the conversation. 140 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: Another thing you mentioned was you won't always want to 141 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: celebrate the first because we want to just make this 142 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: kind of normal. I remember at a conversation with Sam 143 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: Rappaport about that we want to just get to a 144 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 1: point where we don't have to site that the first 145 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: woman to do X, Y and Z is the first. 146 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: But with that being said, there's still are things to celebrate, 147 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: and one of them is as of right now, the 148 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: NFL has eight full time female coaches. There are nine 149 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 1: female athletic trainers. We're super stoked at the Chargers because 150 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 1: we have one of them in Alice and Minor. But 151 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: it's only been five years since you came into the league. 152 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: What is it like to see that progression? And really, 153 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: five years kind of a short amount of time. It is. 154 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: It's a short amount of time, and it is really 155 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: important I think to honor and acknowledge both. Right, that 156 00:09:55,120 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: a first is significant because it signifies change. And I 157 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: always tell people the opportunity and the responsibility of being 158 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: the first is to ensure you're not the last, right, 159 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: And so yes, we want to say that this is amazing, 160 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: this person broke this barrier, and look at what continues 161 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: to happen, and look how much progress has been made, 162 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: and that it's no longer off limits. Right, Like you know, 163 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: people talk about the four minute mile, and I use 164 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: that example a lot. It was impossible, unheard of, can't 165 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 1: do it. Humans are not made to run that fast 166 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: until they were right, it was impossible until the moment 167 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: it became not impossible, and then people can say, Okay, 168 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: well I could do that too, or why wouldn't I 169 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: do that? And wow, they did that there and it 170 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: was successful. I need to look at my team, my life, 171 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: my work and see where I can change too. We 172 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: don't want to pretend like it didn't happen, because that also, 173 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, doesn't celebrate those people who sacrificed to do 174 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: things right. It should be acknowledged that Bruce arians and 175 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: the Cardinals made that historic move. It should be you know, 176 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: acknowledge that you know there was a first and that 177 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,679 Speaker 1: that's why the door was opened. And you don't just 178 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: stop there, right, you want to continue to always celebrate. 179 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: I mean, you look at it. There's always a history 180 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: to every game, right, So we celebrate the history of 181 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: the game. We honor those breakthroughs, those moments just like 182 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: you know, breaking a touchdown record or this, that and 183 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: the other right and the people who do them, and 184 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: then we always look for ways to progress. So you 185 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: founded Gridiron Girls in twenty eighteen. For those who may 186 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: not know about the camps, how would you describe them? 187 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: Confidence through football and teaching girls there is no game 188 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: they cannot play and no field they do not belong 189 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: in or on. When I founded it, I was really 190 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: surprised that there wasn't yet a national movement to get 191 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: girls going. There were some great programs, like you know, 192 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: the New York Sharks had done one, and Florida, my 193 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: home state, had like varsity high school girls football, but 194 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 1: by and large, the girls who were playing football were 195 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: the exception. They didn't have a place where they got 196 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: to rule. And what I wanted to do was take 197 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: that stigma away and give them great coaching so that 198 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: they could step into any situation right. And the pushback 199 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: I got from so many people was, well, girls don't 200 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: want to play football, And I'm like, let me correct 201 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: you on something. First of all, girls have never had 202 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: the opportunity to decide that they wanted to play and 203 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: to play on their terms and not feel like they 204 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: were an outsider. So we do the camps to give 205 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: them great football experience and a great foundation that then 206 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: they can decide. Right, if it just gave you the 207 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: tools to know how to throw your diamonds up and 208 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: know you're worth it, and you're worth great coaching, and 209 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,560 Speaker 1: you can do the work and to play street ball perfect. 210 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: If you decide that was fun, but this isn't my 211 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: game also perfect, and then you just might have some 212 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: of those girls and we do who go on to 213 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: play tackle, who go on to play flag, both on 214 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: girls teams and co ed, And then we've also had 215 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 1: some girl girls that went on to play like, you know, 216 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 1: women's tackle football. So you just really want to give 217 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: them the confidence, show them how the good they can be, 218 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: and level the playing field so that they're not going 219 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 1: into any co ed situations where you know, maybe they 220 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: don't catch a ball, right, and then the assumption is, oh, 221 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: she can't catch because she's a girl that doesn't exist. 222 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: It's actually called you've been coached or you haven't, and 223 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and give you give you what you 224 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: need to level the playing field. I love that you 225 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: mentioned or you kind of make that analogy of just 226 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: giving them the opportunity to learn, because when you say 227 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: it like that, it's kind of so obvious. It's like 228 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: soccer or really any other sport that you might just 229 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: do it for a period of time and be like, oh, 230 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: that was a fun experience and I learned about team 231 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 1: bonding and camaraderie. But I'm not going to go on 232 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: from there. Or like you referenced, girls do move on. 233 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: How cool is it though? To see them get so 234 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: excited about the game. It's always delightful, right, you know 235 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: you see that girl who comes in and she's like, 236 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:39,239 Speaker 1: I don't know right, Like you can kind of see like, oh, 237 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: you know, I had a little girl. She was I 238 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: think she was six, and she was at a camp 239 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: and it was you know, we'd been doing a little bit, 240 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: but we were just getting started, and she's like, oh, Jen, 241 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: I feel like I just learned a scrip. And I 242 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: was like, what's that? And she goes, girls can play football, 243 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: and I was like, yes, baby, Like there is something 244 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: special about this game that's known as the final frontier 245 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: for women in sports to be able to go out 246 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: there and see like, oh, I can catch a pass right, 247 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: and I can throw it, and I can snap it, 248 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: and I can do these things and go have fun 249 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: and teach them like what a football play is. Most 250 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: of them don't know, right, And you know, you just 251 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: watch their confidence go up exponentially right in that day, 252 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: which is the goal. I tell everybody, I'm like, they're 253 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: not going to remember everything about football. Shoot, I'm still learning. 254 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: We're all still learning. Right right. They're not even going 255 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 1: to remember everything that we teach them today, but they 256 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: will always remember the way we make them feel and 257 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: they will carry that not only onto every football field 258 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: they step onto, but onto every field. And you know, 259 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: I have girls like one of them. It was like 260 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: the coolest full circle moment. Like, and I always post 261 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: her stuff. Her name's Kaylee. She came to one of 262 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: my first camps and the other day, so I just 263 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: did that campaign with Lais where they have like, you know, 264 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: my smile on the bags and her and her girls 265 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: team played in a tournament and they won, and they 266 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: all took the bags with like my sneer on it 267 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: and their championship rings and like held them up and 268 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my gosh, yeah right, like this 269 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: this is what I want them to see. I want 270 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: them to rock their championship rings. I want them to 271 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: have a snarl on their face and know that football 272 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: can be their place just like it can be anybody else's. 273 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: That is really cool. That's, as you said, a super 274 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: cool full circle moment as well. So recently you partnered 275 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: with the Hall of Fame Village in Canton to help 276 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: cultivate the next generation of female athletes. How excited are 277 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: you for this partnership? You know, I this is like 278 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: when I said the ripple effects. Some of the things 279 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: that's happened, I couldn't have even pop visioned. Yeah. No, 280 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: I had never even been to camp in Ohio when 281 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 1: I was, you know, with the Cardinals. And then the 282 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 1: first time I met I was coaching at camp there. 283 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: One of my buddies like, you need Jen, and I 284 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: was a great. So I'm there and I get to 285 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: the Hall of Fame and you know, they had put 286 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: my shirt in there. Well, I've never seen it in person, 287 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: so they take me to go see it. And the 288 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: girl who took me her name was Rachel, and she 289 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: was an archivist, right, and she tells me the story 290 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: of how much that shirt and you know, Sarah's hatton 291 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: whistle meant to all the ladies of Hall of Fame. 292 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 1: They when they saw a box from the Cardinals, they knew, yeah, 293 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: there wasn't there touching at the gloves DA. And so 294 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: when she got my shirt, which is just a plain 295 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: white shirt, right, it's a you know, a collared coach's 296 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: shirt with a Cardinal logo on it, she had to 297 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: wait to put it up because they had to order 298 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: a female bust because they didn't have anything. And I 299 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: was like, probably a junior one, right, because you know, 300 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: I'm only five two, Because even if they did have 301 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: a female went in there, right, like, you know, even 302 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: if they had a young boy's one, it probably would 303 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: have worked. But you know, they had like you know, 304 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: what fits a jersey, and she's like, we didn't even 305 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: have a way to display it. So I got to 306 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: go and order, you know, a female bust with a 307 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 1: woman's you know, like a woman's cut, and she was thrilled, 308 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 1: and I just remember seeing it, like, Wow, isn't it 309 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: ironic that like the starter for women in football and 310 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 1: Canton is a plain white T shirt? Right, maybe one 311 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 1: day there will be gold jackets in a woman's cut 312 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: as well. You know, I've been kind of like in 313 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 1: their ear forever, and like, you know, I was on 314 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: an advisory board there, and we just kept talking about 315 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: all of the things that football represents and how important 316 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: it is going to the next generation that girls coming 317 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: into the Hall don't feel like I just saw a 318 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: place where I can't be and so we are going 319 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: to Gridiron Girls new home base is at the Hall 320 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: of Fame, So we have a home and we'll still 321 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 1: obviously travel to do camps from there, and then we're 322 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: committed to you know, obviously that program other programming and 323 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: creating you know, stories as well, and sharing the stories 324 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: of important women who have been figures, you know, in 325 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: the game of football, to make sure that the full 326 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: story is told and that girls know that they have 327 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: a place in this game, both on the field, in 328 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: the front office, on the sidelines, any place they want 329 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: to be. They can see themselves represented. Yeah, that's awesome. 330 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: I mean, what does it say about the progress that's 331 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: been made That bust story is just incredible when when 332 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: you hear it, but to be made at a place 333 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: like the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Hub in 334 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: the sense that they're now doing things to make the 335 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 1: game more inclusive in all terms and all levels for 336 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: women in this game. It's it's it doesn't feel like 337 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: it should be happening now, right, Like it almost feels like, wait, 338 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: this is a news thing, yeah right, Like you know, 339 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: I mean, you look at it in a game that 340 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 1: has such a long legacy in our country, right it's 341 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:40,239 Speaker 1: America's game. And yet I always said, like, how can 342 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: it be America's game when it was only for half 343 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: right and a half at best right. It starts at 344 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: half and then obviously goes down. And so to know 345 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: that we're really starting the process to ensure that women 346 00:20:54,840 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: get honored right, not just allowed in again and like 347 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 1: as an exception, but showing that you belong and that 348 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: we're going to celebrate you. That ensures that the next 349 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: generation and the generation after that won't see themselves as wrong. 350 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: They'll see that they're right and right along there with 351 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:22,360 Speaker 1: the strong shoulders that you have lifted up this game 352 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: so that they would have opportunities. I love that. That 353 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,640 Speaker 1: is such a great note to end on. Jen. Thank 354 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 1: you so much for joining me. I look forward. We 355 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: all look forward to what's to come in Canton with 356 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 1: this partnership. Thank you so much for everything that you've 357 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 1: done for the game. We look forward to to these 358 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 1: next steps as well. We really appreciate it. You got it.