The NFL has named Sam Rapoport to the newly created position of Dir of Football Development as the league continues to "address the lack of women in coaching and scouting roles at the team level," according to Jane McManus of ESPN.com. Rapoport, who previously played tackle football, will be charged with helping to "identify women who are knowledgeable about the game and train them, and to create a space for those women in social networks that often lead to jobs in football." The league wants to "expand opportunities for women in, for example, officiating and as athletic trainers." NFL Exec VP/Football Operations Troy Vincent said, "In such a strategic hire as this, we needed to have an individual that is passionate and knowledgeable in this space." McManus noted 30% of the NFL's current front office employees are women, but football operations jobs are a "different story." The NFL wants to "train women for possible jobs in coaching and scouting." Rapoport: "Playing tackle football obviously is not a prerequisite to being an excellent coach. ... It's not a prerequisite, but in order to be a good coach, you have to have a general knowledge of football and you have to be able to relay that info in a coherent way to players." Rapoport has been "calling general managers and owners to set up a committee on gender inclusion" (ESPN.com, 9/13). In N.Y., Stefan Bondy notes Rapoport "understands it's an uphill battle trying to convince the Good Ol' Boys that a female can help win games" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/14).
