Jen Welter Quotes

The coaches let me prove myself, they gave me a chance to show how my difference could be a strength. That understanding, that diversity of strength, was critical to the team and made it possible for me to be judged on my athletic merits alone.

As coaches, the greatest gift that we can give you is to help you get better. You never have to worry when we are coaching you up, because that means we see potential.

American WOMEN are the best football players in the world. The need to declare our independence and our dominance resonated with the entire team.

Think of me as your coach. I’m encouraging you to play big. I’ve taken hits on and off the field and broken barrier after barrier after barrier—a living testament to the fact that it can be done. I want you to do the same. There’s simply no stopping you. My hope is that by the end of this book, you’ll be inspired to dream the unimaginable. You’ll be unstuck from whatever is holding you back from getting out there and changing the world, your world or the world of someone you know and care about. From doing something you never thought doable. From blazing a trail not yet taken. I followed my dream without having a role model; there was no path to follow, no inkling that making it to the biggest stage in sport could happen for a woman. My point: you never know what’s out there to go for until it’s out there to go for. Remember that, too. In my gridiron journey, there was no certainty, only hope and a belief in something bigger. There was no way to envision myself in any of the places that I ultimately busted through because, as a woman, it was unimaginable.

The greatest gift a coach can give a player is to make him or her better. And when a coach is calling a player out or pointing out flaws, though it feels rough, it’s because coaches see potential.

We were coaching him to make him better. And that he never had to worry as long as we were coaching him up and were able to see where he could improve. We saw potential.

The need to declare our independence and our dominance resonated with the entire team.

At home, on my court, I was somewhat alone in my ambition. Adults played, but few young girls hit the court like I did; maybe there were two others in my city. So, I challenged myself to play the boys. After all, what would those wonderful, powerful women who inspired me do? Take on the boys and beat them, of course!

Remember, you are never alone, so ask for help facing the monster. Find someone with a flashlight who will hold your hand and help you look at the problem.

It is so easy to get frustrated and distracted, and in those small battles, it is tempting to feel like you are all alone and on your own. Then the fights, the holds, the kicks—they feel personal, and it’s hard to see past yourself. The trick is to see the bigger picture, the bigger message, even when it comes in a very little package, like a young girl.

Especially if you’re the lone or first woman among men or you’re thrown into an unfamiliar situation. My time with the Cardinals taught me a few failsafe strategies for effectively achieving what you want. New situations are going to be tough, there’s no changing that. The “getting to know you” phase is difficult and awkward. My personal philosophy is to disarm them to charm them. Disarm Them to Charm Them: Show Your Lighter Side

Even though I was the person who accepted the job, I was never alone doing it. The spirit of all the women I’d played with was pulling for me the entire time, as soon as I’d taken the field with the Revolution to that last game with the Cardinals, and beyond, too.

We’re not in this big world alone, as individuals. We’re not playing by ourselves. Think about my coaching and playing with men. If it was just me and nobody was watching, would I have been brave enough to take those hits? If I didn’t believe in something bigger, would I have risked everything? No. But knowing that I was doing something for all the girls and women who’ve loved football for a very long time? Absolutely.

If you want to be successful in this world, you have to follow your passion, not a paycheck.