Women in Sports: From Camp Randall Concessions to Coaching on the Wisconsin Football Sideline

Coach Ashley Cornwell and the Wisconsin football team run onto the field for the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl game.

During my senior year of high school, I started working concessions at Camp Randall Stadium. Our assigned stand was in the nosebleeds of section JJ — far from the field, hidden from the general flow of Wisconsin fan traffic. I’d show up early, prepping hot dogs and brats, warming pretzels, and loading up nacho trays. But the best part of the job came right before kickoff, when I’d slip into the bleachers and watch warmups. Specialists took the field, coaches shouted instructions, and the team prepared for the battle ahead. I used to sit quietly, imagining myself down there — not as a player, but as a coach. God helped me chase this dream, and my faith gave me strength to keep believing it was possible.

Back then, it was just a daydream. I had no connections, no inside track to a big-time donor or powerful alumni, and no roadmap on how to make it happen. As a first-generation college student, becoming a football coach at Wisconsin — felt impossible.

I applied to be an equipment manager for the Wisconsin Badgers. I wrote the best cover letter and resume I could — and got rejected. It was a pretty swift rejection too; they had never hired a female and did not intend to that season. But I wasn’t done. I applied for any job I could find in the Athletic Department. Eventually, over the summer, I was offered a role as a Ticket Representative on game days. I trusted that God was guiding me toward the right path.

Later that summer, I got an unexpected email from the video department. They needed help and had received my resume from the equipment staff. I drove 90 minutes to Madison for the interview and left convinced I had blown it. A few days later, while working a summer job for Tommy Bartlett, I got the call — I was hired. The assistant video director told me later he could hear me crying on the other end of the phone.

From there, I gave everything I had, filming practice, assisting with recruiting, and setting up rooms. I studied the staff structure and saw how the football program operated floor by floor: video and recruiting on the third, weight room on the first, locker room in the basement, coaches’ offices at the top. I wasn’t just in the building — I was learning how it all worked.

Soon, I began evaluating players and ranking film of prospects for coaches. During that time, I met Eric Johnson, the Chief of Staff for the Badgers. I told him, “I want to coach.” I didn’t know if he took me seriously — but a few months later, the Director of Recruiting helped me revisit that conversation. I interviewed with Eric, and that spring, I officially became a Student Assistant Coach at 19 for a Power 5 football program. God opened that door for me. God made that possible.

That moment wasn’t the finish line. It was the starting point for me to chase my dreams.

Wisconsin tight ends huddle on the field, during the 2021 season, at Camp Randall Stadium.

Why It Happened:

• I Built Positive Connections

• I Showed Up Where I Was

• I Spoke My Dreams Out Loud

• I Gathered Support

• I Found a Champion

Creating Positive Connections:

Not everyone in football wants you to succeed — especially as a woman. But I focused on the people who did. I built real relationships by being reliable and always being about the team. Over time, those connections opened doors I couldn’t have walked through alone. My faith helped me keep perspective and stay grounded.

Showing Up Where You Are:

Did I dream of working video or ticket sales? No. I dreamed of coaching. But I said yes to every role, took pride in every job, and proved I belonged. I even started as a volunteer youth football coach, driving 40 minutes a day just to be on a sideline. You don’t start at the top — you earn your way there, one rep at a time. As a woman, you will have to do this over and over, but it will pay dividends in the end. I trusted that God’s plan was unfolding with each step.

Speaking My Dreams:

Closed mouths do not get fed. You have to tell people what you want. I told Eric I wanted to coach — and he listened. People won’t advocate for dreams if they don’t know about them, so I kept speaking it out loud, even when it felt bold or when people made fun of me. Faith gave me the courage to speak my truth even when the path was uncertain.

Gathering Support:

Support shows up in different ways. It’s not always a job offer — sometimes it’s advice, a listening ear, or a word of encouragement on a hard day. I’ve had women in sports and football pick me up when I was down, share their own stories, and remind me I’m not alone in this fight. And if I was alone, God’s presence was persistent and felt the strongest, lifting me up when I needed it most.

Finding a Champion:

The hardest — and most critical — step. A champion sees you, believes in you, and is willing to stand on the table for you. Eric became that for me. But it didn’t happen overnight. I had to earn it through consistency, passion, and persistence. Champions are rare, but when you find one, they can change everything. I believe God put Eric in my life at just the right time.

Conclusion:

This journey — from concession stand worker to Student Assistant Coach — wasn’t paved with luck. It was built on grit, persistence, and a deep belief that I belong in football. I didn’t get here by accident. I got here because I showed up — over and over — no matter the odds, no matter the role. And through it all, God helped me turn my dream into reality.

And I’m not done.

My goal is to become the Head Football Coach at the University of Wisconsin. I don’t just want to be one of them — I want to be the best of them. I want to recruit the right players, build a winning culture, and represent this program with the same pride I had sitting in the nosebleeds all those years ago. I know what it’s like to love this place from the outside. Until then, I am embracing the process of growing as a coach and enjoying every moment I get to learn and be a part of a team.

My story isn’t about instant success — it’s about doing whatever it takes to get in the door. I didn’t start in a glamorous role or with a powerful network. Each role was a step, a chance to prove myself, to learn, to grow, and to move one level closer to where I wanted to be.

In sports — especially as a female — you don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. You take what’s available, and you make it count. I showed up, I said yes, and I stayed ready.

Whether I was wrapping hot dogs or breaking down film, I treated every job like it mattered — because it did. God’s help and my faith were with me every step of the way.

Getting your foot in the door is where it begins. It’s where relationships are built, trust is earned, and momentum is created. My goal is to lead within this game one day, but I know that leadership starts with showing you’re willing to do the work no one sees.

That’s how I got here, and that’s how I’ll keep going.

Wisconsin's defensive line celebrates their win over Oklahoma State at the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl with a group photo at Chase Field. The final score was Wisconsin 24, Oklahoma State 17.