The Boys’ Club

For most people, when they hear the word football they instantly think of men. They think of the players, their coaches, and everyone who may be involved in their success. But what people may not know is that there are females who also work in this world, and until it became a big part of my life, I thought the same way.

Considering my dad played football at Mississippi State and in the NFL, Football has always been something my family spent a lot of time around. I can tell you anything from how many yards you need for a first down to how in the world you are able to score two points and it actually count. When I started high school, I realized that I may want to work in the world of football, and thus began my journey with equipment. I worked for my high school’s football team all four years, and in the fall of 2019, I was blessed with the opportunity to work with the equipment team at Mississippi State! I was head over heels excited for this, and I couldn’t help but feel as if I was following in my dad’s steps (just replacing the cleats with sneakers!). I started officially working for the team in summer of 2020, when we got called up for the start of fall camp. I knew I was going to be working with about 18 people all together including only two other girls. Until I arrived at camp, it didn’t dawn on me how small a number of females worked in the sport of football. I do not want to give an exact number because I am not sure if it is accurate, but the ratio was about 1:5. For the most part, I am able to do everything my male coworkers do, but there are some things I can’t, such as cleaning up the locker room after practice or going to get coaches’ laundry so that we can start it.

Women belong in sports, and I will say that every day until I can’t. Any one of my friends can explain how passionate I am about this subject; it is something of which I have become a huge advocate. Women can do anything that men can do, and I will forever stand by that. G I R L P O W E R !!! This past year the Denver Broncos hired Kelly Kleine as the Executive Director of Football Operations. When asked how she felt about more women entering the league, she said, “A lot of men who are scouts didn’t play football. Anyone can learn it if you put the time in… If they can learn it, why can’t I?” My dad has told me since I was young that if I put the time and effort in, I can achieve anything, so I did just that. Just because women can’t play does not mean we can’t understand it! This summer, I am working with the Mississippi State team as they begin preparations for the 2022 season. My job can be super hectic at some points, but the summer is very relaxed. Most of the summer work includes unpacking clothes for the upcoming season and getting it all passed out to players, coaches, and support staff. It is a lot of early mornings and late nights, but it is all so worth it. My mom has always told me that you want to work in a field where the work truly doesn’t feel like work, and now I understand what she means. Going to work with the equipment team for Mississippi State Football is something that makes my day, and I couldn’t imagine spending my time anywhere else. The relationships I have made through this job are like no other, and it has helped me meet some of my lifelong friends.

Along with working for our team this summer, I have also landed an internship with the Los Angeles Rams as a training camp intern! I will go up to LA later this summer and spend about a month there. Up there, I will be doing a job like what I do at Mississippi State, just on the professional level. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to work the first preseason game of the season, which I am BEYOND ecstatic for! For many NFL teams, it is very rare to see females in the equipment room, so I feel as if I am a small part of history in the making. Last summer I was able to intern with the Chicago Bears, where I was one of three females to ever work in equipment there. Football has become such an important part of my life, and I would not change the position I am in for anything. Women in sports matter, and we belong in male dominated fields!