Breakthroughs come on, off field in 2020 for women's sports

It was a milestone year for women in sports, starting with Katie Sowers becoming the first woman to coach in the Super Bowl and ending with Becky Hammon serving as an NBA head coach.

In between was a series of breakthroughs for women who just wanted a chance — and got it.

Sarah Fuller became the first woman to score in a major college football game and Kim Ng became the first to be hired as a general manager for a major league team.

WNBA players achieved a higher level of financial security and professional women's hockey got a boost in exposure. International soccer saw an unprecedented transfer fee paid for a woman to move from one team to another, and the U.S. women's national soccer team took a step toward its goal of equitable treatment.

“2020 was certainly a tumultuous and challenging year," the Women's Sports Foundation said in a statement to The Associated Press on Thursday. "It was also transformational, with many exciting, history-making firsts for women’s sports, athletes, coaches and leaders. Sports is a connector, a unifier and a microcosm of society. As we reflect on the power of women athletes and teams who spoke up, challenged the norms, shattered glass ceilings and showed girls, boys and everyone the limitless potential one can achieve, it gives us all hope for 2021 and beyond.”

Sowers had been working as a San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant since 2017 but wasn't widely known until she was featured in a Microsoft television commercial that began running in January.

When the 49ers played the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, she became the first female assistant and first openly gay coach to take the sideline in pro football's biggest game.

Hammon became the first female coach to take charge of a team during an NBA game, taking over...

source https://www.chron.com/news/article/Breakthroughs-come-on-off-field-in-2020-for-15838977.php