Sarah Thomas is a noted pioneer in female football officiating. Sarah Thomas was the first woman to officiate a college football game, the first to officiate a bowl game, the first to officiate in a Big Ten stadium. Now she’s a candidate to become the first permanent female official in the National Football League.
Like Elder Kevin Price in “The Book of Mormon,” she’s very idealistic and determined to do something incredible to make the world a better place. The NFL is a bastion of testosterone, and it’s not always the most friendly and forward-thinking when it comes to gender equality.
Sarah Thomas will have her own set of obstacles to overcome; the same way Jackie Robinson and Hank Greenberg did in MLB.
Today on CNN’s State of the Union with Candy Crowley, Sarah Thomas, a finalist to become a permanent NFL game official, sat down with CNN’s Candy Crowley to talk about being a female in a male-dominated sports world.
Sarah Thomas to CNN on being a female NFL referee: “I think the biggest concern I have as a female is making sure that my uniform fits the right way. And other than that, it’s just I’m out there just like one of the guys.”
(Photo of Sarah Thomas Credit: CNN/ HM Roselli)
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, a Fox Sports affiliate. He is also an analyst for 95.7 The Fan, and writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows his Twitter account (@paulmbanks)