Women breaking down boundaries in professional sports

On September 29th, history will be made as Jessica Mendoza and Melanie Newman will become the first female duo to cast a Major League Baseball game for ESPN. Although a significant accomplishment on its own, this event is part of a broader trend of women breaking into historically male-dominated sports professions. For years now, women have been officiating National Basketball Association and National Football league games. Additionally, multiple women have broken into the coaching business at the pro level, especially in basketball, where the men’s and women’s games are the same. Notably, Becky Hammon, who is the assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs, became the first female to be acting head coach when Gregg Popovich was ejected in 2020. As time progresses and more women ascend to positions such as head coach of a team or crew chief as an official, the positive impact on young girls will be immeasurable. Each small accomplishment by these talented women should be appreciated because one day, they will lead to a more open and diverse society on and off the field.