April 19, 2023 • 29 mins
During Women's History Month in March, the Detroit Lions launched a women's employee resource group called Women of the Lions. Dannie Rogers sits down with four female staff members from across the organization to discuss more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
During Women's History Month. In March, the Detroit Lions launched
a women's employee resource group called the Women of the Lions.
It's a space for women to share their experiences in
champion one another. A panel of five women from across
the organization share their stories and continue that conversation here
on off the record with Danny Rogers. We have to
go over what you guys do on a daily basis,
(00:22):
what you ladies do, because it's a lot and I
don't think everyone truly understands the scope of an organization
and what makes it goes. Please start with you. You've
got a really unique pathway into this building and what
you do on a daily basis.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, so some days it feels like everything and some
days it can also feel like nothing. But I would
say a typical day at this time of year is
really helping onboard and transition our new players and new
acquisitions to the team. So being a friendly face and
they walk in the building, helping them understand what it
means to be a Detroit Lion and all the resources
that they have available to them within this organization but
also within this great city. So really onboarding them, get
(00:55):
them acclimated helping them figure out where to live we're
not to live, places to go explore.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And then also as are.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
A lot of the guys are still out of the building,
continue to checking on them, making sure that they're enjoying
their off season and you know, gearing up to get back,
but getting ready to have a new rookie class. So
preparing those programs and resources to be able to onboard
them to what it means to be in the NFL,
but especially to be a Detroit line. So every day
can look different, but that's the best part.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So you're one of the first spaces that these players
really get to know free agents, rookies, even coaches. I
love that when you were you were having a panel,
all the women of the Lions were invited. We got
to go sit in a team meeting room where all
the players and coaches typically are uh all the time
during the week. And I love the story you told
how players sometimes you know, will walk past your office
(01:39):
and kind of won't say much and you kind of
have to call them out and be like, Hey, are
you gonna come sit in here and talk to me?
Like do we need to talk? What's the vibe? Yeah?
I love that you've brought that up, and that's kind
of what you do daily.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Definitely want them to know that my office is a
safe place for them and that you know, here to
hold them accountable, but also here to provide them support.
So but yeah, you're not gonna keep walking by my
office not saying hi, because you need to know who
I am. So just wait and say you got a question.
I'm gonna here to help you solve it, but I'm
not going.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
To force you. Gina. I mentioned you take care of
the operations from when a team takes off, when we
land for away games, but like it's every day you're
in this building running the operations. So can you break
it down for.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Us kind of just seeing a little bit to start
with the off season program right now, so we you're
always gonna have some coaching changes, so we're the first
person they see, so getting the new coaches acclimated the relocation,
also helping with new free agents, and then you know,
currently hiring for seasonal lanterns. That's what I'm doing right now.
(02:39):
And then next week we have our travel director meetings
and I'm really kind of starting hotel site visiting so
we know where we're going on the road. I do
not know the date yet, but you have to go
to these cities that you haven't been to for a bit,
and you need to look at multiple hotels for you
could end up on option eight or nine. We are
a massive travel party. Oh, there aren't a lot of
(03:00):
hotels any in the drive Harder depends on the game.
We're probably in the about one sixty range. So you
need a lot of rooms, and I need lots of
ballroom space. So it's it's difficult when the schedule comes
out late.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
But you need a lot of rooms and a lot
of big rooms.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yes, big rooms. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
A high shower head is very very important for the
like large people that we have.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Can you call it?
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Ask him how high you're shut there?
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Oh that's we take photos and I look at hotels.
I look at a showerhead height. I also look at
is it a queen bed or a double bed? In
the double because that's very important. Guys get kind of upset.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Wait they sleep on the doubles.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
They have to sometimes it's the best you can do.
You know, It's about securing those floors because that's you know,
our biggest thing is keeping it quiet and keeping security around.
But you know, so we look at all these hotels
for things like that. I look to see other restaurants nearby.
You know, we'll sleep in a hotel that we're probably
going to stay at or we'd like to so I
can see how is it loud outside?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Do I hear signs? Us?
Speaker 4 (04:00):
All of that kind of stuff you take in. But
that's what we're doing now. And then just getting ready
for the guys to come back in a month, so
making sure they have flights here, if they're gonna drive,
do they need a hotel. Trying to just make sure
they're all set to come back here on the seventeenth.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
To me, that sounds like traveling a great, great gig.
But when's your off time?
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Late June, early July. Okay, so you're off when you're off,
that's it. So I'm currently trying to plan something for
the summer. So but yeah, that's about you always, that's
your big vacation, and I try to I try to
really get get that in when I can.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
I agree, Oh my gosh, yeah no. Every time we
get on a plane and off and then I have
to go on commercial, I'm like, oh, any Gina here,
I know this doesn't run us smoothly. I can't go back.
Oh my gosh, she has spoiled us. Just sleming slim.
Does everyone call your summer? Are we just calling you slam?
Speaker 6 (04:55):
A few people do. Actually, my best friend calls me slam.
So she's gonna watch this.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
She's gonna lie. You tell the people in, who are
amazing production people I work with every game day, phenomenal.
You tell them what buns to bush to create the
entire storyline for Detroit Lions home games. Seeing the turnout
this past season and what you were able to help create,
have you taken a step back and just kind of
tried to process that?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
So.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
I this was my first season directing here. I've directed previously,
so on game day that's kind of my new position
is directing the in stadium show. And I think, just
I it is hard to kind of take a step
back because when you're doing it, you're in the moment.
It's exciting, it's live football, it's live sports. You know it.
There's not really a time to step back because you're
(05:42):
always thinking about the next thing. But then you know
when you when the season's over, you have a chance
to kind of reflect. You know, there's been a lot
of comments on how loud Ford Field was, what a
great atmosphere it was. You know, obviously we won games,
which is fantastic, but just everyone saying how loud it was,
what good atmosphere it was. It's it's definitely a reflection
on us and our team and just a great atmosphere
(06:03):
that we've been able to cultivate at Ford Field.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
So you're telling the people want to throw up the
cupcam because that is like everyone's favorite.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
That is that is the absolute best. Oh I know, yes,
so they the guys. Our camera crew is awesome. Our
entire crew is awesome, like you said, and I'm always
just like, find the cutest babies. You can just keep going.
We can we could probably do an entire quarter of
cupcam if we really want.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Gonna say, can you do it one in one game?
Can we get this going? Or more than one time?
Speaker 6 (06:32):
An the one time I will catch it, I will
absolutely touch it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I mean there's eleven babies along our offensive line now,
I think, so it's you might.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Need counting graham too.
Speaker 6 (06:42):
So we have women alliance? Can we do babies of Alliance?
My gosh, our.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Launch ch lemonade. How many How many men are in
that technical room during a game with you? Actually, my
question is how many women are there?
Speaker 6 (06:57):
How many women during a game? So I'm me in
our department, specifically, I'm the only woman full timer for
our department.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I did not realize that.
Speaker 6 (07:07):
Yeah, yeah, So it's me, and then there's our engineer,
and then I have two staff members under me. You know,
we're killing it. They're great, They're fantastic to work with.
In the control room.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
We have.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Probably on a the most would be probably four. We're
working on it. Oh yeah, I'm I'm gro I'm growing
this crew. We're gonna we're gonna keep any more.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Always Maggie our general counsel, our lawyer. So if we
mess up over here with our music rights, I gotta
trump to you.
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Yeah, don't mess up. That's the first rule.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
What does the day to day look like for general
counsel of an NFL team?
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Yeah, I think the theme is the same for all
of us, right, which is it's a little bit of
a lot. I mean, general counsel, the NFL team, any
sports property. You get to work with every department, right,
You get to work with every person on different aspects,
so like whether it's contract or music rights or you know,
figuring out like a player issue everything from sort of
(08:05):
commercial issues to NFL league rule issues to litigation if
somebody you know has a slip and fall at a
stadium or there's an employment dispute, et cetera. Like you
you sort of block and tackle as it comes. I
get to be an expert on a few things and
a generalist on a lot of things, and you figure
out what you know you can do, and and you
(08:27):
find who can do what you can't do. So it's
kind of constructing this whole sort of approach.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
How many other general council are female in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
I was actually just having a conversation about this. There's
at least seven so out of thirty two, which is
not bad. When I came from college athletics, I was
the only female general council of a conference or at
the NCAA level. So you know, we're making moves, but
that's still nowhere near parody. And you know, there's nothing
(08:58):
that limits a woman from being a lawyer at any
sports property, just as well as a man. So it's
we're getting there climbing solely.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
By surely seven women General Council of NFL teams also
seven female owners, and Detroit happens to have one and
I love Sheila hamp during this panel. She shared it
in an interview with me before, saying, when she was
graduating college and she wanted to go to the NFL
and get a job, they did not have a single
thing for her, not even in the mail room. So
she's like, to be in this position now is just insane.
(09:28):
So when you ladies think about just position you're in,
I mean, Gina is the RAMS is so for the
only other operations?
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Yeah, well mulaney just got hired as the director of
the colts.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Okay, so three there's three.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yes, When you guys think about just your positions, is
it kind of crazy to think that there's still only
three ops or only seven general counsel or four women
in the in the tech room for out of thirty
on a game Day's it kind of crazy?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Three heads of player engagement out of thirty two.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
So me, it's the path that's available and open. And
you know, when I came up operations, I never even
knew that that wasn't an option, right, that was not
a you are an admin and that's you know what
you were, which are extremely valuable, got to have good admins,
but there wasn't you know, ops, was not that that
(10:20):
path to go. And you know, I'm even struggling looking
at women in college athletics where everyone's title is director
of on campus recruiting, which is great, but they don't
have that OPS experience that I'm looking for where there's
you know, I was excited there's so many women in
college football, but it was eye opening at the combine
(10:42):
how many that that was their title. So it's just
it's just making sure letting them know that path is
available and someone letting them in the door. Basically because
women running football ops, that's it easy, like that's a
we have a great skill set for that. But it's
just about letting them in the door to get that experience.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Right, say, I kind of wonder on the scope of
those young women who are you know, head of football recruiting,
how many of them are truly you know, football recruiting
and hosting recruits and doing on campus visits, and how
many are doing that plus actual operations but don't get
the credit for it, don't get the title for it.
(11:20):
And then you have to sift through, Okay, who has
this operational experience and do I take a look at this,
you know, football recruiting or had a football recruiting even
though that title is not what I'm looking for, because
a lot of times we end up doing way more
than what our singular title will say, right.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
But I'm talked to the majority of them because I
wanted to flush out, yeah, what their experiences were, and
then also give them encouragement that your skill set translates
m you can easily do this, and there's little things
that I ask you don't know, we can teach you that,
but you are extremely organized or detail oriented and you care.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
That's that's all I need.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
I think that's part of the problem, right, everybody's not
willing to teach, right because we we want fully packaged
or fully developed individuals to come to our table. And
it was like we aren't right, Like there's still a
upside for me. I still have the continue to be
better every single day. So I think that's where hopefully
us right us being in the space we have that
capacity and the ability to help teach and help not
(12:18):
only open the door, behold the door open and be
patient and give that grace and to reap between the
lines of like, okay, I can infer that based on
you doing these two things, you could do this right
and not just boxing you out, cause it's like, if
we're not looking for each other and the stack, who is.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
Yeah, I would definitely agree with that, especially in like
the technical space. I think it's assumed that women don't
have that equal kind of technical skills or that it's
not gonna, you know, pick up as easily. And maybe
it won't. But you know, if you teach, if you're
willing to teach, if you're willing to learn, which a
lot of women are. I've you know, I was in
college previously too, and I had so many students that
(12:54):
were just eager to learn, and they just wanted to
jump in. And if you're willing to, like you said,
open the door, teach them, then there's no reason that
the women can't fulfill those jobs. The same way, my.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Mindset is always making it easier from the next woman
behind me. So whoever comes in it takes this job.
Whenever I decided to leave, right you don't want to.
My job is to make it easier so that they
can come into a role where it's established, they know
what they're doing, and it's not just okay, let me
talk about everything off the field and leave the football
(13:26):
to the guys. I would never want that to be
on this person's shoulders coming into this role. How much
is that on your daily mindsets every single day?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Because I think so much. Again, there's only three heads
of player engagement that are women in. You know, the
locker room being a hurdle that we can't necessarily navigate
because I can't be in there. Frankly, I don't want
to be, right, there's like nothing happening than a conception
we'd like to be in. We don't want to be.
That's not my target on it. I'm good, like, trust me.
So I think for me, it's like that's not a
hurdle that I see as a a hindrance to my
(13:57):
ability to build relationships right now. It's like you can
seek me out in other spaces, like I'm going to exist,
right And also I think it's kind of great that
I'm not in that space right so that space can
stay true to what they needed to be and like, hey,
I could hear it, trusted believe I could hear it.
But understanding that like, that's an opportunity now for me
to build a relationship in a more intentional way, and
and that h requires me to get away from my
(14:19):
desk and meet them where I can actually meet them.
But I think there's a big stigma around us needing
the locker room to be able to build rapport, especially
in my work. And it's like, no, I got two couches, r.
I'm right off the locker room, Like you gotta pass
my office to get to where you need to go.
And it's like it's a decision. So now it's like
you have to be intentionally a like about meeting me
and and having that relationship and developing that relationship.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
So I think, yes, there's.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Benefits of being able to go in the locker room,
but I'm doing every single thing I need to do
not being in the locker room.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
I think a lot of it's almost like a m
a mindset, which is like, w once we get here,
we know like we're here to do our jobs. I'm
not here to prove anything right, I'm just here to
do my job and do my job well. Uh, but
what I do know residual is that when I do
my job and I do my job well, and I
take care of things, and I take care of people,
and I take care of the organization. Then w all
it is is it normalizes? Right, Like people get oh,
(15:09):
they're used to a tiny five to one blonde general counsel,
Like that's not weird to them anymore. And so next
time a you know, a uh another woman comes in
who might be a lawyer, it's not even a thought, right,
or it's less of a thought, or it's you know,
less of a a head turn. The very first time
I got hired in my job, you know, I I'm
lucky because my boss was somebody who did teach me.
(15:32):
And I've only had male bosses, right, but I you know,
we need male bosses to you know, be willing to
be mentors to women as well. But he knew he
was gonna get questioned about hiring a young female like
law clerk, right, So he did extra background checks, extra
you know, conversations internally to make sure that he wasn't
gonna get skewered for bringing in this young woman to
(15:53):
be the lawyer.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
And he took a risk. So once I'm there, I'm
not second guessing myself. I'm not worried of myself. All
I need to do is get in the door, because
once I'm in the door, I'm just gonna do my job,
right and then ba that I'm not trying to prove anything,
but just by doing my job, I am you know,
making it more normal for the next person to come in.
To your point, and.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
It's like we don't even need the door crack the window, Yeah,
I'm gonna but the whole thing open.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And then it's also like now the window's open. Yeah,
So like I'm in here, like I'm knocking. Yeah, I
just keep on the door bell. We're here, like, and
then when I'm in the space, now I'm gonna continue
to take up space because to your point, like it
should be a wow, like you know what I mean,
it shouldn't be like, oh, I'm glad they're here. It's
like it should be like why why have we not
had this space be filled up all different types of
(16:39):
people from different walks of life because perspective, right, like
the world outside this building is not just all mail,
So like, how are we helping the people within this
organization see the world as it truly is if we're
sticking to just one type of you know, just but
it's always been, Like I hate that, Like it's what
it's always been hasn't worked, So let's change it up.
Let's spice it up a little bit, you know. And
then again I understand that what I represent in this
(17:01):
space is like I'm a black woman, I'm first gen
like all these things, it's like you have to see
it to believe it, right, So like I'm now that's
an honor that I have when I walk into this building.
I understand the rule like what I bring into the
space and the with what I represent, So understanding like
that's an honor and that's not something I'm willing to squander.
But also knowing that how I carry myself and how
I show up and these spaces is important. So I'm
not just this person either though, Like understanding that I
(17:23):
have a life outside of this work, right, like I
it so I could to bring all that to work
and let other people see that you can just you
can walk into this building and be yourself unapologetically normalizing.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
It's a big thing, and it sounds funny. Story of
the bus driver.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
So twenty nineteen, when I took over tea ops, it
was just Sophie and I in the league and and
Sophie was still kind of new too, And I don't.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I can't remember. I think it was I think it
was Green Bay.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
A god pull a lead bus driver comes and picks
me up, and he kind of freezes and he looks
at me and he's like, we've never had a lady before.
But and so I was like, really, but I used
that and I made sure I made him feel comfortable.
We got into some great discussions. And now if when
(18:11):
he sees me, he's like chaina and they get very
excited to see me, And like, I work really hard
on the bus driver relationship because it's extremely important. They
have to like you. They're you know, you want them
working very hard for you. But that was one of
the funniest reactions I had in twenty nineteen. It was
it was so genuine. He did not mean any offense
by it. It just surprised him. And now now he
thinks it's normal when he's like, oh, so and so
(18:32):
has one and so and so has it won women,
and he's very excited about it.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
But it's just you have to just normalize it.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
But also like own that it is a responsibility that
you have to make it better for the women after you.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Why be in here and play small? I think that's
first of all, I think unfortunately I've been unapologetically myself
since I came out the wolf. But it's like, again,
why play small? Like what's very hard? Like ro right, Like,
it's hard? How am I helping this space if I
come in here a version of myself?
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Right?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I wasn't hired to be a version of myself. I
was hired to be myself, right. So, and I think
for me and being so player facing, if I'm not myself,
that's really hard to do every day. It's really hard
to be a representative every single day. And I want
them to come into my office and be themselves. I
want them to have interactions and feel like it's genuine, authentic.
So it's like, why not just be myself? Why play small?
(19:22):
Like I'm not just the co director of player Engagement.
I have aspirations and other interests that help do like
do the job at a higher level.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
So be all those things to.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
The point where like we we come in to do
our jobs and do our job as well. You can't
do your job well if you're trying to make yourself smaller.
Stay out of the way, Like none of our jobs
are to stay out of the way.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
All of our jobs are they're not right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Especially being forward facing with the players. I don't think
player and if players don't get enough credit, they can
notice if you're fake, like they want authenticity and they
they know they see it. So I think, y, you
have in that kind of position that you have, you
have to be.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
One thing in the women's panel that we did not
talk about that was brought up to me later on Maggie,
which I know you can answer this for sure, and
it was about being a mom in this career, and
it was I it wasn't talked about and we all
forgot to almost talk about it. But like you're here
and crushing it with an NFL team. Lions just recently
put in a nursing room for the young moms here.
(20:22):
How do you navigate this space as a working mom?
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Uh sh A lot of I don't know, a lot
of balancing right and and I'm lucky. I mean I'm
lucky enough like, uh, say, just went home to or
back to school yesterday. So he's eighteen. I'll tell you
what when were they're older. It's a lot easier it's
a lot of less less heard. Again, I don't know
if it's a lot less heartache, but it's a lot
of navigation, a lot of community, right like in the
(20:46):
same way that and I it's different, but it's the same.
Like in the same way that we have dads in
this building, and those dads rely on communities for those
children to get raised. We just have to have communities, families, friends,
structures that give us as women, the same structure in
the the same sort of fallback in the same village
(21:09):
to raise our children to I think that a lot
of women don't have that right and it and it's
again very we're making moves where we're getting better, but
there's a reason why a lot of women in this
industry don't have children. You know, it's to to just
this point around we are more than just this job.
And sometimes it doesn't feel like that, but truly, right
(21:30):
like we are that. I mean, there's nothing like a
kid that will remind you real quick that you know,
they don't really care who you are to somebody else,
right like they're relying on you to to be mom
and to you know, do what you do. So it's yeah,
it's I think it's hard and this industry, especially because
we are expected to sort of play male roles. And
(21:53):
as we move forward and normalizing women in this world,
we can be more female's gotten a little easier. But
uh yeah, it's definitely a balance all the time.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
What would you tell to you women who are considering
having children but I don't want it to get in
the way of the career. Should they consider that at all?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Yeah? Well, so I I I have a few uh
women who who worked for me before who were going
through the same thing right now. One of who just
has had dos A so soign is thinking about having
a second right and gave me a call and was like,
you know, shit, I got I we were gonna try
to have another one? Should I not? Cause you know
we're talking about job opportunities and job moves, and I
was like, girl, have a baby, right. Like if if
(22:34):
you learn anything, what you learn is you can't plan
everything out. It's never gonna be perfect. Go ahead and
do it and you'll figure it out on the back end.
And I think that there is a lot of fear
and O Gina, Uh, I mean you talked about you
know when you first left lines, but before you came
back and there was this fear.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It's like there's this.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Stigma that once you leave, if you step back for
one minute, you can't be back in. There are risks, right,
and women have to deal with maternity leave and all
the risks around that. You can get it done. You
got here the first place. You can get here the
second place. And in the number one thing you gotta
do is your family, right and and I and I
love my job and a lot of my identity is
(23:13):
wrapped up in my career and my job. But you know,
number one, it's all about family. And if you and
your family wanna have a child, do it and you'll
figure it out. And uh, I mean that that applies
to parenthood, that applies to work, that applies to everything.
But nah, I if if somebody wants to have a kid,
whether they're in the twenties or the thirties or their forties,
(23:34):
just do it. And then you know, your community to
help you figure it out.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Before we wrap things up, this has been a great conversation.
I I just want your best piece of advice for
women who are looking to either be a lawyer or
run operations for a team, or engage with players every
day to help them get situated here or tell the
people when to you know, push buttons and stuff, which
is critical. What do you got.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
For me?
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Kind of depends on their age, but if it's some
thing that they've been interested in since they were young.
When they get to college, work for your college football program.
I don't care in what capacity it's going to be recruiting,
because everybody works in recruiting. But get in the door,
meet the coaches, meet the ops staff, do all that
(24:18):
because that is invaluable time that I've seen people waste
with that, and you need to get even try. I
took an internship at Fox too, knew I did not
want to be in front of the camera. I learned
that editing. I was like, this is fun, but do that.
Go to an athletic department and try a marketing internship.
(24:40):
Try all different sides of football. There are so many
jobs in sports, So try a bunch in college. That's
the time to experiment with roles and you know, learn
what you like, but also learn what you don't want
to do, and it will help you focus better on
what you want to do. But get get experience in
college who.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Work for college football team anyone here, yep boom, you're
yep all right. The Jess's best advice.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
I think I mentioned this during the Pale the other day,
but just for me, it was always I think I
held myself back, doubting myself. Just don't believe in yourself.
Like it's it sounds so corny and so like after
school special for lack of a better word, but it's
just like if you're not gonna believe you can do it,
no one else is going to believe you can do it.
(25:29):
Like you can have mentors and all the stuff and
people let you through the door, but like you have
to know that you can do it yourself before anybody
else is gonna Like I taught, I told the story
of you know, before I started directing, I wrestled with
it for like months because you know, we had a
lot of males, part time staff members who wanted to
(25:50):
do it, all these people, and I was just like,
I haven't done it a few years. I don't think
I can do it. Luckily, I had a boss who
was very encouraging, you know, he was like, you can
do this, you can do this, just do it, and
then stepped into the seat and it was awesome. It
was just it was great, and I knew I could
do it, but I kept doubting myself. So just don't
doubt yourself. Just if you You've gotten to where you're
(26:12):
you are by being you, by being authentically you, and
so just believe in what believe in your experiences, believe
in what you know you can do.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I would say every retweet everything y'all have said, But
to add to it, I would say, so many people
are so bogged down into the details of their resume,
and you are your your greatest resume, right, So to
that point, diversify your experience. It's it all relates and
at the at the end of the day, you're the
one telling your story. So my resume had the Phillies,
(26:43):
it had Templeman's basketball, it had a cappella, it had everything,
and it's bybly like what is this girl?
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Like? What is she?
Speaker 3 (26:49):
What is her thing?
Speaker 2 (26:50):
And I'm like, I'm all of it right, So yes,
I can relate to all these types of people. I
and I'm the best artist of putting my pieces together, right,
So do it all. Figure out it all well, figure
out what you don't wanna do for sure, But remember,
like you are the magic in any space that you
are invited into, like make sure that the invitation doesn't
get rescinded.
Speaker 5 (27:11):
Yeah, I mean all three of them right, all build
up on each other, just knowing like what you wanna do,
who you are, what you can do. And to the
the point about getting a vast number of experiences, the
way you do that is by going for it. And
the way you go for it is you reach out to,
you know, the head athletic trainer at your football team.
(27:33):
You reach out to the head of equipment, you know,
ask if you can just interview them, Ask if you
can shadow them, Ask if you can intern with them,
Ask if they have any jobs.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
You have to be proactive.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
People are gonna find you, especially when you're young, especially
we don't have any experience and so like. And if
you see postings for you know, a two week stint
or yeah, game day, you know, working in the UH
broadcast truck or you know, making sales binders at you know,
the sports marketing place down this street, do it just
or call him and go for it, because at that
(28:04):
point it's all good experience. Be proactive and you will,
you know, and nothing is too small, especially when you're younger. Uh,
try everything and go for it, stay focused and just
keep doing the work.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
One last thing to that point, Yeah, do all of
it right, like you said right, Like nothing should be
too small, and like even the most like smallest tasks
do with the utmost of respect and and give it
the dignity it deserves. I would say, coach friend Dumpy
is one of the most phenomenal people I ever know,
I've ever known, and he gave me an opportunity to
be a band's masketball manager.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
And I did laundry with precision.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Okay, that laundry was done well. My personal laundry that's
another story, right, But that team laundry was done well.
That wiping the floor was done well. I took care
of that clock very well. And he trusted me right,
earn that trust. So do the small things really well.
And then it's like, okay, you can earn the right
to be in these other spaces. But also knowing that
this work is not it's shiny, it's it's sh as
shiny as glamorous, But there's some days gonna have some
(29:00):
days there's gonna be some real thing or dealing with people.
So every day is not gonna be you know, Sunday
night football.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Although Sunday night football is very fun, hoping to have
more of those we love Sunday night football. Uh, this
has been amazing, ladies, Thank you so much for taking
them to that. I don't know how you have the
time to take time for this, but we appreciate you
so much. And I can't imagine the amount of interests
that have been piqued from young women who are something
that stuck with them that they're like, I can go
(29:27):
do this now and they'll do it.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
Thank you, Yeah, thank you, Sanny.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Sanny
During Women's History Month. In March, the Detroit Lions launched
a women's employee resource group called the Women of the Lions.
It's a space for women to share their experiences in
champion one another. A panel of five women from across
the organization share their stories and continue that conversation here
on off the record with Danny Rogers. We have to
go over what you guys do on a daily basis,
(00:22):
what you ladies do, because it's a lot and I
don't think everyone truly understands the scope of an organization
and what makes it goes. Please start with you. You've
got a really unique pathway into this building and what
you do on a daily basis.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, so some days it feels like everything and some
days it can also feel like nothing. But I would
say a typical day at this time of year is
really helping onboard and transition our new players and new
acquisitions to the team. So being a friendly face and
they walk in the building, helping them understand what it
means to be a Detroit Lion and all the resources
that they have available to them within this organization but
also within this great city. So really onboarding them, get
(00:55):
them acclimated helping them figure out where to live we're
not to live, places to go explore.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And then also as are.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
A lot of the guys are still out of the building,
continue to checking on them, making sure that they're enjoying
their off season and you know, gearing up to get back,
but getting ready to have a new rookie class. So
preparing those programs and resources to be able to onboard
them to what it means to be in the NFL,
but especially to be a Detroit line. So every day
can look different, but that's the best part.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So you're one of the first spaces that these players
really get to know free agents, rookies, even coaches. I
love that when you were you were having a panel,
all the women of the Lions were invited. We got
to go sit in a team meeting room where all
the players and coaches typically are uh all the time
during the week. And I love the story you told
how players sometimes you know, will walk past your office
(01:39):
and kind of won't say much and you kind of
have to call them out and be like, Hey, are
you gonna come sit in here and talk to me?
Like do we need to talk? What's the vibe? Yeah?
I love that you've brought that up, and that's kind
of what you do daily.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Definitely want them to know that my office is a
safe place for them and that you know, here to
hold them accountable, but also here to provide them support.
So but yeah, you're not gonna keep walking by my
office not saying hi, because you need to know who
I am. So just wait and say you got a question.
I'm gonna here to help you solve it, but I'm
not going.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
To force you. Gina. I mentioned you take care of
the operations from when a team takes off, when we
land for away games, but like it's every day you're
in this building running the operations. So can you break
it down for.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Us kind of just seeing a little bit to start
with the off season program right now, so we you're
always gonna have some coaching changes, so we're the first
person they see, so getting the new coaches acclimated the relocation,
also helping with new free agents, and then you know,
currently hiring for seasonal lanterns. That's what I'm doing right now.
(02:39):
And then next week we have our travel director meetings
and I'm really kind of starting hotel site visiting so
we know where we're going on the road. I do
not know the date yet, but you have to go
to these cities that you haven't been to for a bit,
and you need to look at multiple hotels for you
could end up on option eight or nine. We are
a massive travel party. Oh, there aren't a lot of
(03:00):
hotels any in the drive Harder depends on the game.
We're probably in the about one sixty range. So you
need a lot of rooms, and I need lots of
ballroom space. So it's it's difficult when the schedule comes
out late.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
But you need a lot of rooms and a lot
of big rooms.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yes, big rooms. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
A high shower head is very very important for the
like large people that we have.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Can you call it?
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Ask him how high you're shut there?
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Oh that's we take photos and I look at hotels.
I look at a showerhead height. I also look at
is it a queen bed or a double bed? In
the double because that's very important. Guys get kind of upset.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Wait they sleep on the doubles.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
They have to sometimes it's the best you can do.
You know, It's about securing those floors because that's you know,
our biggest thing is keeping it quiet and keeping security around.
But you know, so we look at all these hotels
for things like that. I look to see other restaurants nearby.
You know, we'll sleep in a hotel that we're probably
going to stay at or we'd like to so I
can see how is it loud outside?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Do I hear signs? Us?
Speaker 4 (04:00):
All of that kind of stuff you take in. But
that's what we're doing now. And then just getting ready
for the guys to come back in a month, so
making sure they have flights here, if they're gonna drive,
do they need a hotel. Trying to just make sure
they're all set to come back here on the seventeenth.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
To me, that sounds like traveling a great, great gig.
But when's your off time?
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Late June, early July. Okay, so you're off when you're off,
that's it. So I'm currently trying to plan something for
the summer. So but yeah, that's about you always, that's
your big vacation, and I try to I try to
really get get that in when I can.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
I agree, Oh my gosh, yeah no. Every time we
get on a plane and off and then I have
to go on commercial, I'm like, oh, any Gina here,
I know this doesn't run us smoothly. I can't go back.
Oh my gosh, she has spoiled us. Just sleming slim.
Does everyone call your summer? Are we just calling you slam?
Speaker 6 (04:55):
A few people do. Actually, my best friend calls me slam.
So she's gonna watch this.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
She's gonna lie. You tell the people in, who are
amazing production people I work with every game day, phenomenal.
You tell them what buns to bush to create the
entire storyline for Detroit Lions home games. Seeing the turnout
this past season and what you were able to help create,
have you taken a step back and just kind of
tried to process that?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah, a little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
So.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
I this was my first season directing here. I've directed previously,
so on game day that's kind of my new position
is directing the in stadium show. And I think, just
I it is hard to kind of take a step
back because when you're doing it, you're in the moment.
It's exciting, it's live football, it's live sports. You know it.
There's not really a time to step back because you're
(05:42):
always thinking about the next thing. But then you know
when you when the season's over, you have a chance
to kind of reflect. You know, there's been a lot
of comments on how loud Ford Field was, what a
great atmosphere it was. You know, obviously we won games,
which is fantastic, but just everyone saying how loud it was,
what good atmosphere it was. It's it's definitely a reflection
on us and our team and just a great atmosphere
(06:03):
that we've been able to cultivate at Ford Field.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
So you're telling the people want to throw up the
cupcam because that is like everyone's favorite.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
That is that is the absolute best. Oh I know, yes,
so they the guys. Our camera crew is awesome. Our
entire crew is awesome, like you said, and I'm always
just like, find the cutest babies. You can just keep going.
We can we could probably do an entire quarter of
cupcam if we really want.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Gonna say, can you do it one in one game?
Can we get this going? Or more than one time?
Speaker 6 (06:32):
An the one time I will catch it, I will
absolutely touch it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I mean there's eleven babies along our offensive line now,
I think, so it's you might.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Need counting graham too.
Speaker 6 (06:42):
So we have women alliance? Can we do babies of Alliance?
My gosh, our.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Launch ch lemonade. How many How many men are in
that technical room during a game with you? Actually, my
question is how many women are there?
Speaker 6 (06:57):
How many women during a game? So I'm me in
our department, specifically, I'm the only woman full timer for
our department.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
I did not realize that.
Speaker 6 (07:07):
Yeah, yeah, So it's me, and then there's our engineer,
and then I have two staff members under me. You know,
we're killing it. They're great, They're fantastic to work with.
In the control room.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
We have.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Probably on a the most would be probably four. We're
working on it. Oh yeah, I'm I'm gro I'm growing
this crew. We're gonna we're gonna keep any more.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Always Maggie our general counsel, our lawyer. So if we
mess up over here with our music rights, I gotta
trump to you.
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Yeah, don't mess up. That's the first rule.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
What does the day to day look like for general
counsel of an NFL team?
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Yeah, I think the theme is the same for all
of us, right, which is it's a little bit of
a lot. I mean, general counsel, the NFL team, any
sports property. You get to work with every department, right,
You get to work with every person on different aspects,
so like whether it's contract or music rights or you know,
figuring out like a player issue everything from sort of
(08:05):
commercial issues to NFL league rule issues to litigation if
somebody you know has a slip and fall at a
stadium or there's an employment dispute, et cetera. Like you
you sort of block and tackle as it comes. I
get to be an expert on a few things and
a generalist on a lot of things, and you figure
out what you know you can do, and and you
(08:27):
find who can do what you can't do. So it's
kind of constructing this whole sort of approach.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
How many other general council are female in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
I was actually just having a conversation about this. There's
at least seven so out of thirty two, which is
not bad. When I came from college athletics, I was
the only female general council of a conference or at
the NCAA level. So you know, we're making moves, but
that's still nowhere near parody. And you know, there's nothing
(08:58):
that limits a woman from being a lawyer at any
sports property, just as well as a man. So it's
we're getting there climbing solely.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
By surely seven women General Council of NFL teams also
seven female owners, and Detroit happens to have one and
I love Sheila hamp during this panel. She shared it
in an interview with me before, saying, when she was
graduating college and she wanted to go to the NFL
and get a job, they did not have a single
thing for her, not even in the mail room. So
she's like, to be in this position now is just insane.
(09:28):
So when you ladies think about just position you're in,
I mean, Gina is the RAMS is so for the
only other operations?
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Yeah, well mulaney just got hired as the director of
the colts.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Okay, so three there's three.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yes, When you guys think about just your positions, is
it kind of crazy to think that there's still only
three ops or only seven general counsel or four women
in the in the tech room for out of thirty
on a game Day's it kind of crazy?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Three heads of player engagement out of thirty two.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
So me, it's the path that's available and open. And
you know, when I came up operations, I never even
knew that that wasn't an option, right, that was not
a you are an admin and that's you know what
you were, which are extremely valuable, got to have good admins,
but there wasn't you know, ops, was not that that
(10:20):
path to go. And you know, I'm even struggling looking
at women in college athletics where everyone's title is director
of on campus recruiting, which is great, but they don't
have that OPS experience that I'm looking for where there's
you know, I was excited there's so many women in
college football, but it was eye opening at the combine
(10:42):
how many that that was their title. So it's just
it's just making sure letting them know that path is
available and someone letting them in the door. Basically because
women running football ops, that's it easy, like that's a
we have a great skill set for that. But it's
just about letting them in the door to get that experience.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Right, say, I kind of wonder on the scope of
those young women who are you know, head of football recruiting,
how many of them are truly you know, football recruiting
and hosting recruits and doing on campus visits, and how
many are doing that plus actual operations but don't get
the credit for it, don't get the title for it.
(11:20):
And then you have to sift through, Okay, who has
this operational experience and do I take a look at this,
you know, football recruiting or had a football recruiting even
though that title is not what I'm looking for, because
a lot of times we end up doing way more
than what our singular title will say, right.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
But I'm talked to the majority of them because I
wanted to flush out, yeah, what their experiences were, and
then also give them encouragement that your skill set translates
m you can easily do this, and there's little things
that I ask you don't know, we can teach you that,
but you are extremely organized or detail oriented and you care.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
That's that's all I need.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
I think that's part of the problem, right, everybody's not
willing to teach, right because we we want fully packaged
or fully developed individuals to come to our table. And
it was like we aren't right, Like there's still a
upside for me. I still have the continue to be
better every single day. So I think that's where hopefully
us right us being in the space we have that
capacity and the ability to help teach and help not
(12:18):
only open the door, behold the door open and be
patient and give that grace and to reap between the
lines of like, okay, I can infer that based on
you doing these two things, you could do this right
and not just boxing you out, cause it's like, if
we're not looking for each other and the stack, who is.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
Yeah, I would definitely agree with that, especially in like
the technical space. I think it's assumed that women don't
have that equal kind of technical skills or that it's
not gonna, you know, pick up as easily. And maybe
it won't. But you know, if you teach, if you're
willing to teach, if you're willing to learn, which a
lot of women are. I've you know, I was in
college previously too, and I had so many students that
(12:54):
were just eager to learn, and they just wanted to
jump in. And if you're willing to, like you said,
open the door, teach them, then there's no reason that
the women can't fulfill those jobs. The same way, my.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Mindset is always making it easier from the next woman
behind me. So whoever comes in it takes this job.
Whenever I decided to leave, right you don't want to.
My job is to make it easier so that they
can come into a role where it's established, they know
what they're doing, and it's not just okay, let me
talk about everything off the field and leave the football
(13:26):
to the guys. I would never want that to be
on this person's shoulders coming into this role. How much
is that on your daily mindsets every single day?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Because I think so much. Again, there's only three heads
of player engagement that are women in. You know, the
locker room being a hurdle that we can't necessarily navigate
because I can't be in there. Frankly, I don't want
to be, right, there's like nothing happening than a conception
we'd like to be in. We don't want to be.
That's not my target on it. I'm good, like, trust me.
So I think for me, it's like that's not a
hurdle that I see as a a hindrance to my
(13:57):
ability to build relationships right now. It's like you can
seek me out in other spaces, like I'm going to exist,
right And also I think it's kind of great that
I'm not in that space right so that space can
stay true to what they needed to be and like, hey,
I could hear it, trusted believe I could hear it.
But understanding that like, that's an opportunity now for me
to build a relationship in a more intentional way, and
and that h requires me to get away from my
(14:19):
desk and meet them where I can actually meet them.
But I think there's a big stigma around us needing
the locker room to be able to build rapport, especially
in my work. And it's like, no, I got two couches, r.
I'm right off the locker room, Like you gotta pass
my office to get to where you need to go.
And it's like it's a decision. So now it's like
you have to be intentionally a like about meeting me
and and having that relationship and developing that relationship.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
So I think, yes, there's.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Benefits of being able to go in the locker room,
but I'm doing every single thing I need to do
not being in the locker room.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
I think a lot of it's almost like a m
a mindset, which is like, w once we get here,
we know like we're here to do our jobs. I'm
not here to prove anything right, I'm just here to
do my job and do my job well. Uh, but
what I do know residual is that when I do
my job and I do my job well, and I
take care of things, and I take care of people,
and I take care of the organization. Then w all
it is is it normalizes? Right, Like people get oh,
(15:09):
they're used to a tiny five to one blonde general counsel,
Like that's not weird to them anymore. And so next
time a you know, a uh another woman comes in
who might be a lawyer, it's not even a thought, right,
or it's less of a thought, or it's you know,
less of a a head turn. The very first time
I got hired in my job, you know, I I'm
lucky because my boss was somebody who did teach me.
(15:32):
And I've only had male bosses, right, but I you know,
we need male bosses to you know, be willing to
be mentors to women as well. But he knew he
was gonna get questioned about hiring a young female like
law clerk, right, So he did extra background checks, extra
you know, conversations internally to make sure that he wasn't
gonna get skewered for bringing in this young woman to
(15:53):
be the lawyer.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
And he took a risk. So once I'm there, I'm
not second guessing myself. I'm not worried of myself. All
I need to do is get in the door, because
once I'm in the door, I'm just gonna do my job,
right and then ba that I'm not trying to prove anything,
but just by doing my job, I am you know,
making it more normal for the next person to come in.
To your point, and.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
It's like we don't even need the door crack the window, Yeah,
I'm gonna but the whole thing open.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And then it's also like now the window's open. Yeah,
So like I'm in here, like I'm knocking. Yeah, I
just keep on the door bell. We're here, like, and
then when I'm in the space, now I'm gonna continue
to take up space because to your point, like it
should be a wow, like you know what I mean,
it shouldn't be like, oh, I'm glad they're here. It's
like it should be like why why have we not
had this space be filled up all different types of
(16:39):
people from different walks of life because perspective, right, like
the world outside this building is not just all mail,
So like, how are we helping the people within this
organization see the world as it truly is if we're
sticking to just one type of you know, just but
it's always been, Like I hate that, Like it's what
it's always been hasn't worked, So let's change it up.
Let's spice it up a little bit, you know. And
then again I understand that what I represent in this
(17:01):
space is like I'm a black woman, I'm first gen
like all these things, it's like you have to see
it to believe it, right, So like I'm now that's
an honor that I have when I walk into this building.
I understand the rule like what I bring into the
space and the with what I represent, So understanding like
that's an honor and that's not something I'm willing to squander.
But also knowing that how I carry myself and how
I show up and these spaces is important. So I'm
not just this person either though, Like understanding that I
(17:23):
have a life outside of this work, right, like I
it so I could to bring all that to work
and let other people see that you can just you
can walk into this building and be yourself unapologetically normalizing.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
It's a big thing, and it sounds funny. Story of
the bus driver.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
So twenty nineteen, when I took over tea ops, it
was just Sophie and I in the league and and
Sophie was still kind of new too, And I don't.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I can't remember. I think it was I think it
was Green Bay.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
A god pull a lead bus driver comes and picks
me up, and he kind of freezes and he looks
at me and he's like, we've never had a lady before.
But and so I was like, really, but I used
that and I made sure I made him feel comfortable.
We got into some great discussions. And now if when
(18:11):
he sees me, he's like chaina and they get very
excited to see me, And like, I work really hard
on the bus driver relationship because it's extremely important. They
have to like you. They're you know, you want them
working very hard for you. But that was one of
the funniest reactions I had in twenty nineteen. It was
it was so genuine. He did not mean any offense
by it. It just surprised him. And now now he
thinks it's normal when he's like, oh, so and so
(18:32):
has one and so and so has it won women,
and he's very excited about it.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
But it's just you have to just normalize it.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
But also like own that it is a responsibility that
you have to make it better for the women after you.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Why be in here and play small? I think that's
first of all, I think unfortunately I've been unapologetically myself
since I came out the wolf. But it's like, again,
why play small? Like what's very hard? Like ro right, Like,
it's hard? How am I helping this space if I
come in here a version of myself?
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Right?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I wasn't hired to be a version of myself. I
was hired to be myself, right. So, and I think
for me and being so player facing, if I'm not myself,
that's really hard to do every day. It's really hard
to be a representative every single day. And I want
them to come into my office and be themselves. I
want them to have interactions and feel like it's genuine, authentic.
So it's like, why not just be myself? Why play small?
(19:22):
Like I'm not just the co director of player Engagement.
I have aspirations and other interests that help do like
do the job at a higher level.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
So be all those things to.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
The point where like we we come in to do
our jobs and do our job as well. You can't
do your job well if you're trying to make yourself smaller.
Stay out of the way, Like none of our jobs
are to stay out of the way.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
All of our jobs are they're not right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Especially being forward facing with the players. I don't think
player and if players don't get enough credit, they can
notice if you're fake, like they want authenticity and they
they know they see it. So I think, y, you
have in that kind of position that you have, you
have to be.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
One thing in the women's panel that we did not
talk about that was brought up to me later on Maggie,
which I know you can answer this for sure, and
it was about being a mom in this career, and
it was I it wasn't talked about and we all
forgot to almost talk about it. But like you're here
and crushing it with an NFL team. Lions just recently
put in a nursing room for the young moms here.
(20:22):
How do you navigate this space as a working mom?
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Uh sh A lot of I don't know, a lot
of balancing right and and I'm lucky. I mean I'm
lucky enough like, uh, say, just went home to or
back to school yesterday. So he's eighteen. I'll tell you
what when were they're older. It's a lot easier it's
a lot of less less heard. Again, I don't know
if it's a lot less heartache, but it's a lot
of navigation, a lot of community, right like in the
(20:46):
same way that and I it's different, but it's the same.
Like in the same way that we have dads in
this building, and those dads rely on communities for those
children to get raised. We just have to have communities, families, friends,
structures that give us as women, the same structure in
the the same sort of fallback in the same village
(21:09):
to raise our children to I think that a lot
of women don't have that right and it and it's
again very we're making moves where we're getting better, but
there's a reason why a lot of women in this
industry don't have children. You know, it's to to just
this point around we are more than just this job.
And sometimes it doesn't feel like that, but truly, right
(21:30):
like we are that. I mean, there's nothing like a
kid that will remind you real quick that you know,
they don't really care who you are to somebody else,
right like they're relying on you to to be mom
and to you know, do what you do. So it's yeah,
it's I think it's hard and this industry, especially because
we are expected to sort of play male roles. And
(21:53):
as we move forward and normalizing women in this world,
we can be more female's gotten a little easier. But
uh yeah, it's definitely a balance all the time.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
What would you tell to you women who are considering
having children but I don't want it to get in
the way of the career. Should they consider that at all?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Yeah? Well, so I I I have a few uh
women who who worked for me before who were going
through the same thing right now. One of who just
has had dos A so soign is thinking about having
a second right and gave me a call and was like,
you know, shit, I got I we were gonna try
to have another one? Should I not? Cause you know
we're talking about job opportunities and job moves, and I
was like, girl, have a baby, right. Like if if
(22:34):
you learn anything, what you learn is you can't plan
everything out. It's never gonna be perfect. Go ahead and
do it and you'll figure it out on the back end.
And I think that there is a lot of fear
and O Gina, Uh, I mean you talked about you
know when you first left lines, but before you came
back and there was this fear.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It's like there's this.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Stigma that once you leave, if you step back for
one minute, you can't be back in. There are risks, right,
and women have to deal with maternity leave and all
the risks around that. You can get it done. You
got here the first place. You can get here the
second place. And in the number one thing you gotta
do is your family, right and and I and I
love my job and a lot of my identity is
(23:13):
wrapped up in my career and my job. But you know,
number one, it's all about family. And if you and
your family wanna have a child, do it and you'll
figure it out. And uh, I mean that that applies
to parenthood, that applies to work, that applies to everything.
But nah, I if if somebody wants to have a kid,
whether they're in the twenties or the thirties or their forties,
(23:34):
just do it. And then you know, your community to
help you figure it out.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Before we wrap things up, this has been a great conversation.
I I just want your best piece of advice for
women who are looking to either be a lawyer or
run operations for a team, or engage with players every
day to help them get situated here or tell the
people when to you know, push buttons and stuff, which
is critical. What do you got.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
For me?
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Kind of depends on their age, but if it's some
thing that they've been interested in since they were young.
When they get to college, work for your college football program.
I don't care in what capacity it's going to be recruiting,
because everybody works in recruiting. But get in the door,
meet the coaches, meet the ops staff, do all that
(24:18):
because that is invaluable time that I've seen people waste
with that, and you need to get even try. I
took an internship at Fox too, knew I did not
want to be in front of the camera. I learned
that editing. I was like, this is fun, but do that.
Go to an athletic department and try a marketing internship.
(24:40):
Try all different sides of football. There are so many
jobs in sports, So try a bunch in college. That's
the time to experiment with roles and you know, learn
what you like, but also learn what you don't want
to do, and it will help you focus better on
what you want to do. But get get experience in
college who.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Work for college football team anyone here, yep boom, you're
yep all right. The Jess's best advice.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
I think I mentioned this during the Pale the other day,
but just for me, it was always I think I
held myself back, doubting myself. Just don't believe in yourself.
Like it's it sounds so corny and so like after
school special for lack of a better word, but it's
just like if you're not gonna believe you can do it,
no one else is going to believe you can do it.
(25:29):
Like you can have mentors and all the stuff and
people let you through the door, but like you have
to know that you can do it yourself before anybody
else is gonna Like I taught, I told the story
of you know, before I started directing, I wrestled with
it for like months because you know, we had a
lot of males, part time staff members who wanted to
(25:50):
do it, all these people, and I was just like,
I haven't done it a few years. I don't think
I can do it. Luckily, I had a boss who
was very encouraging, you know, he was like, you can
do this, you can do this, just do it, and
then stepped into the seat and it was awesome. It
was just it was great, and I knew I could
do it, but I kept doubting myself. So just don't
doubt yourself. Just if you You've gotten to where you're
(26:12):
you are by being you, by being authentically you, and
so just believe in what believe in your experiences, believe
in what you know you can do.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I would say every retweet everything y'all have said, But
to add to it, I would say, so many people
are so bogged down into the details of their resume,
and you are your your greatest resume, right, So to
that point, diversify your experience. It's it all relates and
at the at the end of the day, you're the
one telling your story. So my resume had the Phillies,
(26:43):
it had Templeman's basketball, it had a cappella, it had everything,
and it's bybly like what is this girl?
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Like? What is she?
Speaker 3 (26:49):
What is her thing?
Speaker 2 (26:50):
And I'm like, I'm all of it right, So yes,
I can relate to all these types of people. I
and I'm the best artist of putting my pieces together, right,
So do it all. Figure out it all well, figure
out what you don't wanna do for sure, But remember,
like you are the magic in any space that you
are invited into, like make sure that the invitation doesn't
get rescinded.
Speaker 5 (27:11):
Yeah, I mean all three of them right, all build
up on each other, just knowing like what you wanna do,
who you are, what you can do. And to the
the point about getting a vast number of experiences, the
way you do that is by going for it. And
the way you go for it is you reach out to,
you know, the head athletic trainer at your football team.
(27:33):
You reach out to the head of equipment, you know,
ask if you can just interview them, Ask if you
can shadow them, Ask if you can intern with them,
Ask if they have any jobs.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
You have to be proactive.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
People are gonna find you, especially when you're young, especially
we don't have any experience and so like. And if
you see postings for you know, a two week stint
or yeah, game day, you know, working in the UH
broadcast truck or you know, making sales binders at you know,
the sports marketing place down this street, do it just
or call him and go for it, because at that
(28:04):
point it's all good experience. Be proactive and you will,
you know, and nothing is too small, especially when you're younger. Uh,
try everything and go for it, stay focused and just
keep doing the work.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
One last thing to that point, Yeah, do all of
it right, like you said right, Like nothing should be
too small, and like even the most like smallest tasks
do with the utmost of respect and and give it
the dignity it deserves. I would say, coach friend Dumpy
is one of the most phenomenal people I ever know,
I've ever known, and he gave me an opportunity to
be a band's masketball manager.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
And I did laundry with precision.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Okay, that laundry was done well. My personal laundry that's
another story, right, But that team laundry was done well.
That wiping the floor was done well. I took care
of that clock very well. And he trusted me right,
earn that trust. So do the small things really well.
And then it's like, okay, you can earn the right
to be in these other spaces. But also knowing that
this work is not it's shiny, it's it's sh as
shiny as glamorous, But there's some days gonna have some
(29:00):
days there's gonna be some real thing or dealing with people.
So every day is not gonna be you know, Sunday
night football.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Although Sunday night football is very fun, hoping to have
more of those we love Sunday night football. Uh, this
has been amazing, ladies, Thank you so much for taking
them to that. I don't know how you have the
time to take time for this, but we appreciate you
so much. And I can't imagine the amount of interests
that have been piqued from young women who are something
that stuck with them that they're like, I can go
(29:27):
do this now and they'll do it.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
Thank you, Yeah, thank you, Sanny.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Sanny
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