Where are the female officials in professional sports? Not in the NFL. Not in the MLB. Not in the NHL. There is one in the NBA. It is an uphill battle for women to pursue an officiating profession in elite sports. A breakthrough may be in the works though as the NFL looks to hire a female referee, Sarah Thomas. Progress has been made in creating racial equality among officials in professional sports, but women lag far behind.
Whether male or female, an ESPN article cites three characteristics of outstanding officials – knowledge of the rules, a thick skin, and impartiality. I believe women must have an especially thick skin when trying to penetrate into the professional ranks. They must earn the respect of players, coaches, and fans who will berate them constantly regardless if they make the right or wrong call. If a female official can advance to the NFL, more will follow, although progress has yet to be made in the NBA.
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-opinion/6843564/calling-shots-officially-unbalanced
- Jeremy
KIN 577
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