Katie Sowers has made history as the first female football coach to coach the Superbowl during Superbowl LIV on Sunday, Feb. 2nd.
Sowers became the second full-time female coach in the NFL when the 49ers hired her over two years ago. She also makes history as the first openly gay female coach in the NFL and the first openly gay coach to coach in the Super Bowl.
Sowers is a graduate of Central Missouri and serves as an offensive assistant coach for the 49ers. Prior to her career with the NFL, she was a football player in the Women’s Football Alliance for eight years. She also has experience working with the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach.
Sowers grew up in Kansas City and has always been infatuated by football and sports. Selecting a kinesiology major in college, she has been tirelessly working toward her passions throughout her life.
Many ads have reflected on the achievement by Sowers, including a commercial that aired during the Superbowl, to inspire more young women like Sowers. Sowers is no stranger to difficulty, being that she was once barred from coaching a basketball team because she identifies as lesbian. According to Sowers, experiences like these only motivated her more.
During her time with the Women’s Football Alliance, she led the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the Women’s World Championships in 2013. She played both quarterback and defensive back, and was incredibly successful in her athletic career.
As a long term goal, Sowers has been working toward inclusivity within the NFL and inspiring other young women to pursue similar goals and career paths as hers.
Though the 49ers did not win the Superbowl, Sowers shared an inspiring photograph on her Instagram page. The photo, of her smiling at the Superbowl, is accompanied by the caption “All the negative – pressure, challenges – it’s all an opportunity… to rise up”, attributed to late basketball star Kobe Bryant.
The photo has been welcomed with hundreds of supportive, enthusiastic comments from fans and football watchers who have been showering Sowers with support since the game. Sowers also shared an Instagram story with pop icon and national anthem singer Demi Lovato, furthering the theme of female empowerment and achievement at this year’s Superbowl.
Sowers became the second full-time female coach in the NFL when the 49ers hired her over two years ago. She also makes history as the first openly gay female coach in the NFL and the first openly gay coach to coach in the Super Bowl.
Featured Image by Otto Gelderman on Flickr
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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