Super Bowl LIV was certainly one for the books! From the match up to the halftime show to Coach Andy Reid finally receiving his long-awaited championship title. Despite all that was happening on the field and on the stage, there was also history being made on the sidelines. Katie Sowers became the first openly gay female coach to ever reach the Super Bowl.
The NFL has historically never had a huge presence of women, specifically in high level or coaching roles. And if you’re familiar with most sports, this trend is common. Despite those obstacles, Katie has built a promising career that has allowed her to break through those barriers and create a role that will open doors for other women in the future.
The 33-year old Assistant Offensive Coach of the San Francisco 49ers fell in love with football at the very young age of 8. Throughout her young, and early adult life the sport remained a mainstay in her life. She spent eight years in the Women’s Football Alliance then played for the US Women’s National Team until she became a college graduate.
Following her time at The University of Central Missouri, she became a scouting intern for the Atlanta Falcons and continued to grow her experience and expertise in the industry. She is now in her second season as an Offensive Assistant Coach with the 49ers and she couldn’t be happier in her position and the glass ceiling she has been able to break through.
It’s never easy being a woman in a male-dominated field, as many of us are aware. We often deal with harassment, bias, unfair pay, and prejudice that affect us long before we can even step into the room and prove ourselves. Katie’s mission is to open the doors for other women who have the dream of being a football coach, astronaut, president, doctor, or anything else that young girls and women can set her mind to. While she is not the first female coach in the NFL, she is the first to reach the Super Bowl AND be featured in a commercial the same night, created by Microsoft.
Despite Sower’s race, gender, and orientation, her colleagues and team hold her in high regard simply because of her ability to coach. San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo describes her as “a great coach, and a bulldog”. The team is adamant that the focus has solely been on her talent, knowledge, and understanding of the game of football. All of these traits take precedence in the locker room over her sexuality and gender.
Katie Sowers is one of many women who is breaking glass ceilings and we hope to keep hearing more stories similar to this one. Here at Monochrome Pink, we encourage women to make your voice heard no matter who is in the room, apply for that job even if you don’t meet all the qualifications and proudly own your seat at the table. For more information on the story of Katie Sowers and more about last night’s epic match-up follow her here!