Tackling History with a Priceless Passion
On this episode I have the honor of speaking with the first woman to coach within the NFL, Dr. Jen Welter, who within her book – “Play Big; Lessons in being Limitless from the first woman to coach in the NFL” – covers the many truths behind her experiences within historically male sports. Jen has used her challenging and inspiring experience on route to becoming the first woman to achieve such stature to empower her and the actions of so many she has come across. Whether it be in her playing career, her coaching career, her work as a motivational speaker, or most recently as the author of children’s books, Dr. Welter is a Woman changing the World through her willingness to go and achieve things that no women have done before.
Dr. Jen Welter provides an in-depth account of her upbringing in relation to her family life as her greatest mentor – her father – shaped her entire mentality as an athlete and today as a working professional. She also discusses her football career and the constant feeling of not being appreciated within the women’s game, but never allowing that to extinguish her passion for the sport she loved (5:38 – 12:24). Jen discusses how her opportunity came about to coach within the men’s game, as well as the level of appreciation she has for the men that treated her as an equal and provided her with the opportunities to play and coach within the men’s game (14:30 – 21:00). Finally, we go into some great dialogue on the power that emotion can have within a leadership role and the importance that interpersonal communication plays in building rapport with those you are responsible for (22:20 – 29:50).