Welter inspires with appearance in Toronto

With a growing influence as a sporting icon, Dr. Jen Welter continues to capture the hearts and minds of those she comes in contact with. Whether they are sports fans or not, Welter’s impact in shattering the glass ceiling brings with it an enormous admiration. On a Wednesday afternoon in the middle of May, Welter felt such admiration north of the border, making numerous appearances in Toronto.

From a jam-packed day filled with media obligations, Welter sharing her gridiron experiences was heartfelt and profound. Welter made appearances on highly popular national television programs such as CTV’s iconic Canada AM, and its highly popular afternoon talk show The Social, along with an interview on TSN Radio.

During her appearance on Canada AM, she recounted how the use of sports psychology (of which she has earned a PhD) was an important aspect in connecting with the players on the Arizona Cardinals, where she served as a coaching intern during the 2015 NFL preseason. She also made the empowering statement that she wanted to be the first and not the last, with regards to her historic coaching run.

The panel on The Social proved to be just as cordial with Welter, who was articulate and well-spoken. Discussing sensitive topics such as body image among female athletes and domestic violence issues in pro football, Welter was diplomatic but logical, discussing solutions rather than causes. Undoubtedly, the live studio audience was impressed with Welter, showering her with applause.

Visiting Toronto was one defined by Welter in the role of ambassador. Since the launch of the 2015 regular season, she remains a key influence in the NFL with her role in the exciting “Fuel Up to Play 60” program, a youth health and wellness campaign. Its mission is to support regular physical activity for boys and girls, which also includes a healthy diet. While each NFL city supports a local NFL Play 60 program since 2007, with more than 2,000 events held annually in the United States, a key part of the initiative in bringing this program to Canada is to encourage females to be physically active in sport.

This summer, Welter shall be visiting four Canadian cities, as NFL Play 60 also works towards recognizing some of Canada’s most popular flag football communities, which has also seen significant participation with female players.

As female football in Canada continues to grow at the Grassroots level, the presence of Welter in each of these four communities shall only add to its exciting momentum. The four Canadian cities will also feature visits from participating NFL teams. Serving as a guest instructor, Welter aspires to inspire youngsters by making the game more accessible and fun.
On June 9, a tournament will be held at Royal Vale School in Montreal, home of the IWFL’s Blitz, with the Indianapolis Colts featuring members of its roster. Nine days later, players from the Chicago Bears shall be at the University of Regina to celebrate the Regina Youth Flag Football League. As a side note, the defending WWCFL champions are based in Regina.

Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton, Ontario, will be the venue for a 5-on-5 flag football weekend on June 25, which sees competitors from the Atlanta Falcons on-hand. Vancouver shall be the last city on the tour, as Football BC hosts its Summer Fest on July 7. Taking into account that Seattle is the closest NFL market to Vancouver, members of the Seahawks will be the featured guests. Visits are also highlighted by football clinics, a family zone, the presence of NFL team mascots and cheerleader appearances.