The National Football League (NFL) have positioned themselves to change the game of gender equality. National Women’s History Month allowed many football teams in the league to get involved.
The Los Angeles Chargers, hosted a career pathways panel at their primary facility for high school girls in the area.
Local high schools such as San Juan Hills and Long Beach Poly, were invited to the Chargers headquarters to hear from women in different fields of the sports industry.
The panel featured four members who all spoke upon their experiences working with the Chargers and their career paths.
The discussion panel was moderated by TV sports broadcaster Jamie Maggio. She called attention to the different career branches available for women who love sports, who may be interested in a career once their playing career is finished.
The panel discussion presented Megan Julian, director of social media; Kavita Dhillon, director of game presentation; Katie Sylvan, director of football administration; and Ashley Kirby, director of talent marketing from Excel Sports Management.
Each panelist offered advice and insight for the young athletes in attendance.
Varsity play flag football player, Cailyn Hill (11), attended the Chargers panel because she is interested in pursuing a career in the sports industry, but was unsure of the options available.
“So many girls think that working in sports is out of reach because it is such a male dominated field but the panelists inspired all the girls in the audience not to get discouraged,” said Hill.
The panel allowed more young women approaching adulthood to discover different pathways they may take into consideration regarding their future.
Not only were the invited players able to hear from experienced professionals, the Chargers gave them a tour around the facility, as well as merchandise.
Additionally, the Chargers have hosted clinic events to grow the game of girls in football, where young girls are getting the opportunity to learn from Chargers players and coaches.
The team is committed to providing opportunities for women by offering internships, mentoring programs, and other various roles in the industry.
In a Dove commercial from this year’s Super Bowl, it was noted that 45% of girls quit sports by the age of 14.
Companies and organizations are partnering together to keep women involved in sports and promote an increase in future career opportunities.
According to CBS, as of 2023, the number of women in the NFL has only increased. It was reported that 223 women were working full-time in coaching or football operations in the 2023 NFL season, as opposed to 199 women the past year.
The NFL is actively working toward increasing the diversity and inclusion in sports careers. They are implementing initiatives such as the Women’s Careers in Football Forum, where women interested in football operations have the opportunity to network and learn from industry professionals.
More and more teams have offered internships, mentoring programs, and even created positions specifically for women in coaching, scouting, and front office roles.
“I love the fact that flag football is creating opportunities for me that I didn’t even know existed, and I’m very thankful for taking part in growing the game,” said sophomore quarterback Gwyneth Lyon.
