49ers Female Coach Shares Diary Entry, “Let This Be Your Wake Up Call”

Katie Sowers it the 33-year-old NFL female offensive assistant coach working with the San Francisco 49ers, who are in Miami for Super Bowl LIV. Before coaching, Sowers played in the Women’s Football Alliance for the West Michigan Mayhem and the Kansas City Titans — before retiring in 2013 due a hip injury.

When she joined the 49ers in 2017, she became the first LGBTQ coach in the NFL when she publicly came out before the 2017 NFL season. She is now the first female and first openly gay coach to coach in a Super Bowl.

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Let my experience be your lesson. A reminder to enjoy the little things in life while you can, the things we all too often take for granted like the love of our family – let this be your wake up call My journal entry from June 9, 2018 #strokesurvivor #loveyourfamily #familyfirst #noregrets #keepmovingforward #fallforward #49ers

A post shared by Katie Sowers (@katesowers5) on Nov 23, 2019 at 2:04am PST

It hasn’t been an easy road for Sowers. In May 2018, her father suffered a stroke. A few weeks after the stroke, she wrote the entry above in her journal. Uncertain if she would ever hear him speak again, she wrote: “I pray that I am given another chance to tell him I love him and know for sure that he understands that. I pray that I am given another chance to see my dad smile at a 49ers game.”

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There is no greater fan. Dad, I know you would have never imagined missing this game (even though it’s preseason) but I know you’ll be watching on your TV in the hospital. Keep working hard. I love you. Blessed to see you and the rest of my family in Kansas City. #familyfirst #strokesurvivor #aphasia #niners

A post shared by Katie Sowers (@katesowers5) on Aug 24, 2019 at 1:54pm PDT

When Sowers shared the diary entry on social media, she wrote: “Let my experience be your lesson. A reminder to enjoy the little things in life while you can, the things we all too often take for granted like the love of our family – let this be your wake up call.”

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Happy Fathers Day, Dad. You have taught me more than you even know. I’m with you every step of the way as you work to improve and just know I will continue to work to make you proud. You are the original Coach Sowers. . . . . . #strokesurvivor #aphasia #fatherdaughter #fathersday #nfl #niners #49ers

A post shared by Katie Sowers (@katesowers5) on Jun 16, 2019 at 12:03pm PDT

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Dad- You’ve coached me for so long and now I think it’s my time to coach you…”You must do the things you think you cannot do” – Eleanor Roosevelt … it will be worth it . . . . . #strokesurvivor #aphasia #stroke #strokeawareness #nfl #49ers #niners #faithful #ninerfaithful #ninergang #nfl #california #sf #bayarea #motivationalquotes #motivation #strokerecovery

A post shared by Katie Sowers (@katesowers5) on Oct 30, 2019 at 9:34pm PDT

Sowers is the subject of Microsoft‘s 60-second Super Bowl LIV TV commercial for its tablet, Surface; see below.