Jon Sumrall's Culture Starts with Tulane Women's Football Clinic
New Tulane Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall told reporters at American Conference Media Days that his culture starts and ends with people. The Tulane Women's Football Clinic, hosted by his wife, is a perfect example.
“I look for quality people, men of character who care deeply about serving and developing our players,” Sumrall said in his press conference. “First and foremost, that's got nothing to do with X's and O's and so good people matter. I'm a firm believer that better people make better players, better people make better coaches, better people make better media members. I think the better person you are, the better you are at your job. And so I think you have to hire great people that care about relationships and helping others develop.”
Jon Sumrall sat down with Tulane for Sports Illustrated for an exclusive in Arlington, Texas, to discuss building the program and culture he wants to instill. But we started with his people-focused vision – highlighting those same efforts of his wife in spearheading the Tulane Women’s Football Clinic.
Tulane Football has always supported women in sports. Coach Sumrall’s wife, Ginny, had an idea to take it further and engage women in the @GreenWaveFB fanbase.
— Maddy Hudak (@MaddyHudak_94) July 17, 2024
Enter the 2024 Women’s Football Clinic on July 24. I’ll be your emcee. Let’s go girls. https://t.co/V8EaSweaFx
The goal of the event tonight at 5:30 pm at Yulman Stadium is to engage the women of the New Orleans community. Just as Sumrall talked about hiring people for who they are, he sees tonight's clinic as a chance for Green Wave fans to see the family-oriented culture up close.
Local women looking to join us can purchase tickets here.
“There's a lot that are events that are mine,” Sumrall told me. “This is all my wife, so we do this, and she really runs point. I just kind of show up and make sure we don't, I don't screw anything up.”
“It definitely humanizes that it’s not just people on a TV coaching a game,” he continued. “Our families are real, and they have challenges. Especially during the season when our wives are single parents essentially. Our wives are like, all right, where'd my husband go? Because he's never here.”
The coaches make the headlines, but their families and wives are often the silent heroes behind everything they do. “My wife is the foundation of everything in our house,” Sumrall declared.
Tulane fans have the opportunity to get to know the new faces of Tulane football – and that includes Ginny alongside Jon Sumrall. I, as the emcee, kick off tonight's event with a Q&A, allowing the women in attendance to gain insight into the Sumrall family's human side. In addition to a ton of football knowledge in the film room and doing on-field tackling drills held by the coaches.
While the football component is just as exciting – and rare to focus it on women fans – the human qualities will shine through more than anything tonight.
MADDY HUDAK