1
00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,080
Speaker 1: Welcome to playmakers everyone. I'm Haley Elwood and also welcome

2
00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:14,600
Speaker 1: to March.

3
00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:16,160
Speaker 2: Welcome to Women's History Month.

4
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,560
Speaker 1: We're back this month for three very special episodes highlighting

5
00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,079
Speaker 1: three really amazing women making their mark in the NFL.

6
00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,760
Speaker 2: And we are kicking things off with Vanessa Hutchinson.

7
00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,240
Speaker 1: Vanessa is the senior manager of Football Development for the league.

8
00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,040
Speaker 1: She's coming off the fifth annual Women's Careers in Football

9
00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,479
Speaker 1: Form and she's here to talk about that and a

10
00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:36,840
Speaker 1: lot of the other inclusionary efforts that are happening within

11
00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,360
Speaker 1: the NFL. So let's get to it. Here's my conversation

12
00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,040
Speaker 1: with Vanessa Hutchinson. Vanessa, thank you so much for joining me.

13
00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:43,920
Speaker 2: How are you doing today?

14
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:45,960
Speaker 3: I'm doing well today. Thank you for having me on.

15
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,919
Speaker 1: Absolutely So, the NFL just wrapped up the fifth annual

16
00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:51,840
Speaker 1: Women's Careers in Football Form.

17
00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,320
Speaker 2: Just a couple of weeks ago. I had Sam Rapaport

18
00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:55,720
Speaker 2: on last year to talk about it.

19
00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,360
Speaker 1: But for those who might have missed it or may

20
00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,800
Speaker 1: not know, how would you describe that forum?

21
00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:00,720
Speaker 3: So?

22
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,160
Speaker 4: The Forum is this two day event that we host

23
00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,240
Speaker 4: usually at the Combine, but this year virtually it's invite only.

24
00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,080
Speaker 4: It consists of forty qualified women, majority of which are

25
00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,679
Speaker 4: currently working in college football and tend to have about

26
00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,280
Speaker 4: one to three years of experience in that industry. And

27
00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,360
Speaker 4: it's an opportunity for the women to learn, develop network

28
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,679
Speaker 4: and really figure out the NFL is for them, and

29
00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,800
Speaker 4: if it is, what areas they're interested in, and then

30
00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,640
Speaker 4: introduce them to connections that can help them progress in

31
00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,920
Speaker 4: their careers. And so what it really does is that

32
00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:29,880
Speaker 4: it's a way for us to get rid of the

33
00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,400
Speaker 4: excuse from clubs that they cannot find qualified women.

34
00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:34,160
Speaker 3: You know, the.

35
00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,080
Speaker 4: Biggest known factor around the league is that men have

36
00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,320
Speaker 4: these inner circles that they run in and that's how

37
00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,360
Speaker 4: people get jobs, and women are not a part of that.

38
00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,560
Speaker 4: And so the forum is an attempt to add those

39
00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,760
Speaker 4: women into the circle so they can end up on

40
00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,280
Speaker 4: shortlists for jobs, just as it works for men.

41
00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think the term boys club gets thrown around

42
00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:51,760
Speaker 1: a lot, especially in the NFL.

43
00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:52,920
Speaker 2: I sat in on day one.

44
00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:54,400
Speaker 1: That was one of the really cool parts of it

45
00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,400
Speaker 1: being virtual this year was allowing media members to sit in,

46
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,520
Speaker 1: And someone had said at one point the NFL, they

47
00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,880
Speaker 1: don't even do this for men, Like this is such

48
00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,000
Speaker 1: a cool and such a unique opportunity for it to

49
00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,040
Speaker 1: be though virtual for this year. What was that format? Like,

50
00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:10,320
Speaker 1: how did that work for you guys?

51
00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,480
Speaker 4: It was different for sure, Like it was the biggest

52
00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,160
Speaker 4: event any of us have put on. Virtually we were

53
00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:17,920
Speaker 4: streaming it to the clubs, we were streaming it to

54
00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,880
Speaker 4: the media, and so there's a lot of prep work

55
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,280
Speaker 4: on the back end done and I credit Andy Jamal

56
00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,560
Speaker 4: for teaming up with us and handling all that. But

57
00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,480
Speaker 4: this is the first year we utilized zoom even you know,

58
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,240
Speaker 4: to meet the women in consideration for the forum invice,

59
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,520
Speaker 4: So that became a helpful avenue for us.

60
00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,360
Speaker 3: It felt more official as we were meeting the women.

61
00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:36,639
Speaker 4: We could read the body language, We could look someone

62
00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,120
Speaker 4: in the eye, you know, granted, you know, through a camera.

63
00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,400
Speaker 3: But it helped us get to know them more.

64
00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,360
Speaker 4: And then you know, there are no limitations of being

65
00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,720
Speaker 4: in Indianapolis and only you know, having a certain number

66
00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,880
Speaker 4: of rooms to you know, keep the forum within. So

67
00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,440
Speaker 4: we had no space limitations, were able to invite.

68
00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,680
Speaker 3: Anyone we wanted to speak and be a part of it.

69
00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,639
Speaker 4: And travel was not a factor because generally some of

70
00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,240
Speaker 4: the invites we put out is their response is they

71
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,040
Speaker 4: don't generally go to combine so they can participate, and

72
00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,080
Speaker 4: so that was a huge plus.

73
00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:06,600
Speaker 3: We had breakout sessions.

74
00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,680
Speaker 4: And they served to be more intimate than we thought

75
00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,640
Speaker 4: they would be. The speakers feel like they got to

76
00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,720
Speaker 4: know the participants really, really well, and it was more

77
00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,160
Speaker 4: conversational than you thought you could achieve virtually. And I

78
00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,920
Speaker 4: think the biggest thing was the participants knew they had

79
00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,680
Speaker 4: to stand out in front of a camera. They didn't

80
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,280
Speaker 4: have the opportunity to walk up to someone and give

81
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,040
Speaker 4: them a handshake and introduce themselves.

82
00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,440
Speaker 3: So it was so interesting to watch.

83
00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,959
Speaker 4: Participants, whether they were interacting with the panelists or they're

84
00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,040
Speaker 4: a bit more, you know, in the intimate setting of

85
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,239
Speaker 4: the breakout session, but they would.

86
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:35,560
Speaker 3: Introduce themselves to every person.

87
00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,120
Speaker 4: They would ask the most meaningful questions, and they did

88
00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,120
Speaker 4: their homework to make sure they asked deep questions that

89
00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,000
Speaker 4: would really help them stand out with the club representatives.

90
00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,480
Speaker 4: And so I thought those are some of the benefits

91
00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:47,960
Speaker 4: of conducting it virtually.

92
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,400
Speaker 1: I kind of love that because as we've now gone

93
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,280
Speaker 1: through pretty much a whole year essentially on zoom or

94
00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,760
Speaker 1: in a virtual setting, there are positive to take away

95
00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,280
Speaker 1: from it and I think that's a really cool point

96
00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,320
Speaker 1: that you make too, about it being limited to certain

97
00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,600
Speaker 1: parts of the country or maybe travel as a hindrance

98
00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,320
Speaker 1: or anything like that. And I love what you said

99
00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,480
Speaker 1: too about having good questions and being able to stand

100
00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,800
Speaker 1: out as well, that really you have one opportunity, but

101
00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:13,080
Speaker 1: all those women made.

102
00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,240
Speaker 2: The most of it for you.

103
00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:18,200
Speaker 1: Specifically your role senior manager of football Development for the NFL,

104
00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,320
Speaker 1: what was your sort of part in all of this.

105
00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,760
Speaker 3: So, you know, the awesome thing about Sam is like

106
00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:24,640
Speaker 3: this vision.

107
00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,480
Speaker 4: Is hers you know, from years back, and she came

108
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,080
Speaker 4: up with this and I was hired on by Sam

109
00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,640
Speaker 4: three years ago actually, you know, and a big part

110
00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,040
Speaker 4: of my hiring was to work on the forum with her,

111
00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,680
Speaker 4: help keep it growing, help make it get better, meet

112
00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:38,159
Speaker 4: more women and bring them in for this. And so

113
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:40,880
Speaker 4: I've worked in college football and I've worked for the

114
00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:42,960
Speaker 4: front office of the club, and Sam viewed those as

115
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,520
Speaker 4: valuable assets and wanted that perspective and approaching the forum,

116
00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,280
Speaker 4: and you know, some of that came in as you know,

117
00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,599
Speaker 4: we made college football really become the pipeline for this forum.

118
00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,320
Speaker 4: And so you know, since I was hired, it's Sam,

119
00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,479
Speaker 4: you know, it's Sam and I and usually the beginning

120
00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,520
Speaker 4: of every year, just initially in an office or on

121
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,880
Speaker 4: a call, brainstorming what we want this form to be,

122
00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,840
Speaker 4: you know, who we want to invite in the skies,

123
00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,279
Speaker 4: the limit with Sam, which is the most awesome, it's great,

124
00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:10,960
Speaker 4: and then we go to work, you know, And a

125
00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,800
Speaker 4: lot of what I do is I meet and talk

126
00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:14,599
Speaker 4: with a lot of the women that we end up inviting,

127
00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,200
Speaker 4: holding calls year round, and Sam will happen on those

128
00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,880
Speaker 4: as well. Handle the majority of the speakers that we

129
00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,359
Speaker 4: bring in for the panelists and the breakout sessions and

130
00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,720
Speaker 4: our strategy behind who we want to bring in for those,

131
00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,440
Speaker 4: you know. And as it's grown, we've we've brought on

132
00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,920
Speaker 4: more and more help. And you know, it's just it's

133
00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:33,200
Speaker 4: it's my favorite event of the year, and anyway I

134
00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,360
Speaker 4: can contribute it as awesome. But it's always a group

135
00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,039
Speaker 4: effort and no one has ownership over anything. Like we

136
00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,599
Speaker 4: constantly consult each other before every decision is made with

137
00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,040
Speaker 4: the Forum because we all kind of care so greatly

138
00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:44,880
Speaker 4: about it that we just want to make sure we're

139
00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:45,520
Speaker 4: doing what's right.

140
00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:50,040
Speaker 1: It's a team right, just like anything else, even if

141
00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,520
Speaker 1: it's not directly playing on the field. One of the

142
00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,119
Speaker 1: things that you had mentioned to is giving these women

143
00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,120
Speaker 1: an opportunity. I think as a woman in sports, I

144
00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,360
Speaker 1: think all of us though, you know, we you need

145
00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:01,160
Speaker 1: male allies.

146
00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,320
Speaker 2: There are still a lot of men in top roles,

147
00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:04,600
Speaker 2: leadership roles.

148
00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,560
Speaker 1: You look at football teams and you look at coaches

149
00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,200
Speaker 1: and gms, it's all male dominated right now. Seven head coaches,

150
00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,440
Speaker 1: six general managers were part of the forum. What was

151
00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,760
Speaker 1: it like to see those men just be active champions

152
00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:18,880
Speaker 1: for women in their roles in this game.

153
00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:19,760
Speaker 2: I mean, it.

154
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,520
Speaker 4: Means the world and that's where the support has to

155
00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,960
Speaker 4: come from. It has to come from those making the decisions,

156
00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,200
Speaker 4: the ownership, the head coaches and general managers.

157
00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:30,000
Speaker 3: And you know, you look at.

158
00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,680
Speaker 4: Who who came into the forum this year. We have

159
00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,600
Speaker 4: a younger generation, you know of coaches and gms that

160
00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,040
Speaker 4: are starting their regimes, and you know, at some point

161
00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:42,200
Speaker 4: or another, a lot of those those guys have worked

162
00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,840
Speaker 4: with women in their front office, whether that be at

163
00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,919
Speaker 4: the college level or the professional level. We look at

164
00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,240
Speaker 4: Brad Holmes, who came from the rams where women are

165
00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:50,000
Speaker 4: in operations.

166
00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:51,440
Speaker 3: They're in sure of the conditioning, they're an.

167
00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,840
Speaker 4: Administration, like it's just normal to them and they see

168
00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,680
Speaker 4: women as belonging and I just you know, I think

169
00:06:57,800 --> 00:06:59,920
Speaker 4: just the biggest testament is that, you know, we had Tear,

170
00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,040
Speaker 4: we had Brad, we had Nick Cassario, we had coach Sala.

171
00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:04,080
Speaker 3: All that are.

172
00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,920
Speaker 4: Only weeks and so there's jobs but literally asking us

173
00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,600
Speaker 4: how they can be involved in this initiative, and it

174
00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,120
Speaker 4: really tells you that like from the get go, these

175
00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,200
Speaker 4: new regimes were value and diversity and want to incorporate it.

176
00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,080
Speaker 4: So it's less of trying to get a club to

177
00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,000
Speaker 4: embrace it and incorporate it. But they're starting from the beginning,

178
00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,520
Speaker 4: and I think is more of those new regimes, you know,

179
00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,679
Speaker 4: get up and running, you're going to see more progress.

180
00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,480
Speaker 4: They're they're more sincere in what they're doing and they're

181
00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,000
Speaker 4: not checking a box. They want this to be part of,

182
00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:32,840
Speaker 4: you know, the legacy they built.

183
00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,160
Speaker 1: Well at the end of the day too, I think

184
00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,560
Speaker 1: you ask any woman, you really ask anyone in sports,

185
00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,400
Speaker 1: and you get the job because you're good at it.

186
00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,400
Speaker 1: You know, you shouldn't, like you said, check a box

187
00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,320
Speaker 1: and be like, okay, we have a woman on this team.

188
00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,560
Speaker 2: It's that she does that job. Better than anyone else.

189
00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:49,760
Speaker 1: And I think one of the really cool things you

190
00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,040
Speaker 1: mentioned some of the newer coaches and newer gms who

191
00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:53,960
Speaker 1: were on the call, but you had some veteran guys

192
00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:54,440
Speaker 1: as well.

193
00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:55,680
Speaker 2: A few coaches gave.

194
00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,040
Speaker 1: Out emails, like their own personal emails to have women

195
00:07:59,160 --> 00:07:59,720
Speaker 1: send them.

196
00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:00,720
Speaker 2: Their tape whatever it is.

197
00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,880
Speaker 1: How cool is it just to see that connection being

198
00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,160
Speaker 1: made in a really really authentic way.

199
00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,400
Speaker 3: I mean it was really great. You know, they were

200
00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:11,240
Speaker 3: so casual about it.

201
00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,520
Speaker 4: They plugged into the chat box of the Zoom and

202
00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,800
Speaker 4: just you know, hit said and said if you need anything,

203
00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:16,520
Speaker 4: you know, let us know.

204
00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:17,440
Speaker 3: And it was.

205
00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,520
Speaker 4: Great because you know, like I said before, like women

206
00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,240
Speaker 4: have been known to be out of those inner circles

207
00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,160
Speaker 4: for so long that men have and for a head

208
00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,520
Speaker 4: coach to give a woman a direct link to them

209
00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:32,360
Speaker 4: the decision maker, ultimately, like that's a game Changer's that's

210
00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,560
Speaker 4: a whole group of women that can now reach out

211
00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:37,960
Speaker 4: and say, you know, thank you for the opportunity that

212
00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,160
Speaker 4: you know, gave us the Women's Forum and continue to

213
00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,200
Speaker 4: follow up with them on their careers and what's going on,

214
00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,280
Speaker 4: and maybe potentially have an opportunity with them someday.

215
00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,280
Speaker 1: So one hundred and eighteen women have secured jobs since

216
00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,200
Speaker 1: the Forum's inception. We saw two women coach in the

217
00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:51,839
Speaker 1: Super Bowl.

218
00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:52,400
Speaker 2: I was there.

219
00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:54,760
Speaker 1: I couldn't talk about super Bowl fifty five without talking

220
00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,000
Speaker 1: about the impact that Sarah Thomas had on the game

221
00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,960
Speaker 1: as well. What does that tell you about the progress

222
00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,960
Speaker 1: that's being made with women in the NFL?

223
00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,720
Speaker 4: Women belong and it's it's closed for discussion at this point.

224
00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,720
Speaker 4: I know, progress can never really be quick enough, it

225
00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,320
Speaker 4: seems like, but you know, the clubs and the fans

226
00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,560
Speaker 4: are receptive to what's happening right now and going on

227
00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,440
Speaker 4: in the league, and there's really no going back to

228
00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,880
Speaker 4: that old boys club. And you know, pretty soon the

229
00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,200
Speaker 4: clubs that don't have women in their front office will

230
00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:23,000
Speaker 4: be in the minority.

231
00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,400
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, I could see that as well.

232
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,400
Speaker 1: I think, you know, I did a little piece ahead

233
00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,840
Speaker 1: of the Super Bowl hosting there, and we talked a

234
00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,840
Speaker 1: lot about you know, women specifically in that impact that

235
00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,600
Speaker 1: they had on the game, and I went back to

236
00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,480
Speaker 1: a quote that Katie Sawers had from Super Bowl fifty

237
00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,480
Speaker 1: four where she said, look, it's awesome that I'm the first,

238
00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,920
Speaker 1: but what's most important is that I'm not the last,

239
00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,120
Speaker 1: and we've we're so far past that, even just a

240
00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,679
Speaker 1: year later, and I think, like you said, it's going

241
00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,280
Speaker 1: to be the minority very very soon.

242
00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,400
Speaker 2: When you look at the women that were on the.

243
00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,040
Speaker 1: Call, the participants in the forum, so many different backgrounds,

244
00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,720
Speaker 1: whether it was women interested in training, front office coaching.

245
00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,720
Speaker 1: If someone is interested maybe listening, how could they be

246
00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,200
Speaker 1: a part of future sessions?

247
00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,600
Speaker 4: Get in touch with Sam Rappaport and myself, And it's

248
00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,760
Speaker 4: not it's not difficult. I mean I LinkedIn messages, I

249
00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,840
Speaker 4: answer all of them. Maybe not the fastest, but I

250
00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,360
Speaker 4: get to everybody. I make sure we connect. Sam is

251
00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,560
Speaker 4: great with that too, and you know, the clubs are

252
00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,120
Speaker 4: also great allies in this. They say, you know, I

253
00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,280
Speaker 4: came across this wom when I was visiting a school

254
00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:29,800
Speaker 4: scouting and she was really impressive. Here's her resume. I'd

255
00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,000
Speaker 4: love to connect you all, and so really just you know,

256
00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:33,600
Speaker 4: figuring out how to get in touch. And like I said,

257
00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,960
Speaker 4: we're around my LinkedIn's right there, connect with me and

258
00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,120
Speaker 4: those are all options for that. But you know the

259
00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:41,760
Speaker 4: other thing is you just making sure you have that

260
00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:42,680
Speaker 4: experience and you're.

261
00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:43,640
Speaker 3: Ready to go for the forum.

262
00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,120
Speaker 4: You know, go to your local college, your local high school,

263
00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,360
Speaker 4: your your football team's there. And if you want to

264
00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,200
Speaker 4: gain more experience and really grow your network, you know,

265
00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,719
Speaker 4: find the time to you know, to volunteer with them too.

266
00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,760
Speaker 4: And that's that's a big piece of it is kind

267
00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,559
Speaker 4: of the people who will kind of take any avenue

268
00:10:58,600 --> 00:10:59,920
Speaker 4: they can to get experienced.

269
00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:01,800
Speaker 3: You know, the clubs love seeing that.

270
00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:04,480
Speaker 1: I love one of the things that one of the

271
00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,640
Speaker 1: women said, or maybe it was it was a guest

272
00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:09,960
Speaker 1: on the call where they had mentioned, you know, hey,

273
00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,800
Speaker 1: if you're interested in learning more about tape, like call

274
00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,000
Speaker 1: your local high school, ask a coach to you know,

275
00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,120
Speaker 1: sit with that high school coach and break down film

276
00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,000
Speaker 1: of their team and just find different, like you said,

277
00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:23,319
Speaker 1: ways and avenues to get more involved in the game,

278
00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,000
Speaker 1: be more educated. I think one though, great thing is

279
00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,320
Speaker 1: that there's so many more resources out there right now.

280
00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,360
Speaker 1: But like you said too, it is also on you

281
00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,800
Speaker 1: to put yourself in the best position possible.

282
00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:34,920
Speaker 2: Now for you personally.

283
00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,199
Speaker 1: I know your role with the NFL expands just be

284
00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,240
Speaker 1: on the forum, but what else are you doing throughout

285
00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:45,120
Speaker 1: the year to help just promote and expand diversity and inclusion?

286
00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:45,720
Speaker 2: In the league.

287
00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:47,679
Speaker 3: Yeah, so I know, I work for the league office

288
00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:48,920
Speaker 3: and I work in football operations.

289
00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,200
Speaker 4: So right out of the guidance of you know, Troy

290
00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:55,440
Speaker 4: Vincent and you know, this is really his passion a diversity, equity, inclusion.

291
00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,120
Speaker 3: And so the programs that I'm able.

292
00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,040
Speaker 4: To work on are you know, the Bill Wols Diversity

293
00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,120
Speaker 4: Coaching Fellowship, which is open to former NFL players and

294
00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,240
Speaker 4: college coaches and hoping to get their hands on experience

295
00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,640
Speaker 4: with clubs, whether it's training camp or many camp or OTAs.

296
00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,480
Speaker 4: And the same goes for the Non Wounden Scouting Fellowship,

297
00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:13,880
Speaker 4: which I oversee as well, and that that really falls

298
00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,320
Speaker 4: on the scouting side of things and helping to you know,

299
00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:20,240
Speaker 4: create opportunities and build networks for those interested in getting

300
00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:21,160
Speaker 4: into the scouting realm.

301
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,320
Speaker 3: And those are.

302
00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,280
Speaker 4: Just a couple of things, and we always have programming

303
00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:25,280
Speaker 4: going on within our.

304
00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:26,520
Speaker 3: Football Operations department.

305
00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:30,240
Speaker 4: But like I said, it's it's it's Troy's passion, and

306
00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,600
Speaker 4: so it's it's primarily what I focus on.

307
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,120
Speaker 2: You're around football teams.

308
00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,160
Speaker 1: We've heard microcosms of society, but when you look at

309
00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:41,440
Speaker 1: sort of the business side of that, how does diversity,

310
00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,040
Speaker 1: how does inclusion. How does adding more voices to the

311
00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,000
Speaker 1: room really benefit those front offices overall?

312
00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,840
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean one, you know, being the microcosms of society,

313
00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,080
Speaker 4: when you surround yourself with the like minded people, it

314
00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,720
Speaker 4: puts you at a disadvantage and it closes you off,

315
00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,400
Speaker 4: you know, to a majority of you know, candidates that

316
00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,520
Speaker 4: are right for the candidate pool and qualified. And when

317
00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,920
Speaker 4: people that think like you, that look like you, that

318
00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,560
Speaker 4: run in the same circles as you, is all you

319
00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,120
Speaker 4: surround yourself with. You don't allow yourself to you know,

320
00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,120
Speaker 4: challenge your thought process, to challenge your outlook on the

321
00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,880
Speaker 4: world to grow and develop. And when you embrace diversity

322
00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:21,520
Speaker 4: inclusion and you allow perspectives in and unique experiences into

323
00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,240
Speaker 4: your club, you're at a benefit. It can change so

324
00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,080
Speaker 4: many different things. You can reevaluate the way you evaluate players,

325
00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,800
Speaker 4: the way you coach players, the way you're you know,

326
00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,400
Speaker 4: building muscle on players and strength, the conditioning or utilizing

327
00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,760
Speaker 4: data and analytics. There are so many different viewpoints in

328
00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,000
Speaker 4: perspectives that really could be embraced and make your club

329
00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:44,000
Speaker 4: better for it. And I think that's really really important

330
00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,920
Speaker 4: to note. And when your biggest assets of your organization

331
00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,480
Speaker 4: your players are diverse, your front office needs to match that,

332
00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,719
Speaker 4: and I think that all becomes acqual to outside organizations

333
00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,199
Speaker 4: as well in society as a whole.

334
00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:56,360
Speaker 2: Absolutely.

335
00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:58,800
Speaker 1: And then lastly, Vanessa, look, at some point women working

336
00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,520
Speaker 1: in football, it's going to become the norm.

337
00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:01,920
Speaker 2: It's not going to become the news.

338
00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,520
Speaker 1: But as Sam Rappaport told me last year, we're going

339
00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,440
Speaker 1: to keep having this conversation until it does. For you personally,

340
00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,360
Speaker 1: what is your ultimate goal for women working in the NFL.

341
00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,800
Speaker 4: Honestly, my goal is for women to realize that they

342
00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,560
Speaker 4: belong just as much as anyone else. There are a

343
00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,280
Speaker 4: number of women who have talked themselves out of pursuing

344
00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,440
Speaker 4: a career in the NFL because it just didn't seem.

345
00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:22,880
Speaker 3: In the cards.

346
00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,479
Speaker 4: And like I believe, as we keep sending the message,

347
00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:27,800
Speaker 4: you know one through the forum that they belong. But

348
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,040
Speaker 4: as long as women continue to grow and as send

349
00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,800
Speaker 4: in NFL front offices, as long as first become seconds

350
00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,840
Speaker 4: and thirds, and as long as diverse experiences and perspectives

351
00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:40,040
Speaker 4: become more valued by leadership, that sense of belonging will

352
00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,240
Speaker 4: really overshadow, you know, all the other noise.

353
00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,000
Speaker 1: We're going to keep the conversation Rolling Vanessa, thank you

354
00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,440
Speaker 1: so much for coming on. We really really appreciated Happy

355
00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:48,440
Speaker 1: Women's History Month.

356
00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:49,040
Speaker 2: We'll end it there.

357
00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,040
Speaker 3: Thanks so much. Sam, do you thank you for having me.

358
00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:51,680
Speaker 2: Thank you