Ruby Neumann continues to make an impact on and off the field.
Neumann, a fourth-year Sport Management major and current Brock women’s flag football player, will be joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) as part of the Women in Football program presented by KPMG.
“Being part of the CFL Women in Football program is an incredible opportunity to grow, connect and contribute to a sport I’m passionate about,” Neumann said. “As a strong advocate for women in sport, I’m proud to be part of a movement that’s opening doors and creating space for more women in football.”
Starting in May, Neumann will be working in football operations, helping run all aspects of the Tiger-Cats training camp alongside director of football operations CJ Paduano and manager of football operations Nick Roberto.
Neumann’s journey to the Tiger-Cats started with her experience with the Brock women’s flag football team as she helped found the program last year with Kae Allison and Alex Penz.
Dr. Ryan Clutterbuck, a current Brock Sport Management professor, was passionate about starting a flag football program at Brock, and Neumann became involved by assisting with some of the behind-the-scenes and operational aspects of the team.
This is where the passion for football for Neumann began.
She was then inspired by Matthew Hill, owner of Niagara Youth Flag Football and Niagara Nitros, to go out and make connections within the football industry.
Neumann did just that, taking part in a recent Tiger-Cats camp working with youth for a day of skills and drills.
Beyond her time with the sport of football, Neumann is passionate about creating opportunities for women in sport.
She is the vice-president of the University’s Sport Management Council where she was the main lead for the Women in Sport Networking Event, helping secure panelists, reaching out to potential sponsors and overseeing operations day of.
After this opportunity with the Tiger-Cats, Neumann plans to continue her studies at Brock, pursuing a Master in Arts with a Sport Management specialization. Her desire is to tailor her thesis research towards marginalized groups in sports, specifically looking at various aspects within the prominent professional women’s sports leagues.
“The opportunities I’ve had at Brock — from helping build the flag football program to leading major events through the Sport Management Council — have really helped me grow both personally and professionally,” she said. “Wherever I end up, I hope to continue creating more inclusive spaces in sport and helping ensure underrepresented voices are heard.”
