Another breakthrough for women in coaching ranks arrived Tuesday, as the Oakland Athletics hired Justine Siegal to be a guest instructor with their Instructional League team. She has thrown batting practice for several major league teams.
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In 2015 the MLB had the first female baseball player, French shortstop Melissa Mayeux, recognized on the league’s worldwide registration list.
Siegal’s hiring follows the likes of San Antonio Spurs coach Becky Hammon and former Arizona Cardinals coach Jen Welter, who each became the first female coaches in their respective leagues last summer. Additionally, she also has a PhD in sport and exercise psychology and founded Baseball For All, a non-profit that helps provide opportunities in baseball, particularly for girls. Although she was denied a chance to play on her high school’s varsity baseball team, Siegal has pursued her passion by participating in men’s baseball leagues ever since.
Siegal’s spent most of her life around the game. This part of her training makes her a logical choice in a setting like Instructional League, where players split time between working on their skills on the diamond and learning about them in a classroom setting.
Siegal in 2011 throwing batting practice to the Indians.
The Oakland A’s have hired Major League Baseball’s first female coach.
“We’re thrilled that Justine will be joining us for Instructional League”, said assistant GM David Forst in a statement.
The next question, of course, is whether this coaching stint could lead to a more full-time role within the A’s organization for Siegal.
Siegal getting this opportunity is not too surprising.
Siegel isn’t too anxious about being accepted by male pro athletes, saying, “I’ve found from experience that men are surprised to have a woman coach, but when they realize you know what you’re talking about and that you care, you fit right in with the rest of the staff”.
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The A’s became one of the first teams to employ a woman in a coaching capacity when they appointed Kate Greenthal as a scouting assistant in 2012.
