Womens Sport Week is in full swing, and Sky Sports looks at the growing role that women are playing in the NFL. At the start of the year, Sarah Thomas was appointed as a full-time official for this season. Although not the first female official, that honour goes to Shannon Eastin who was a replacement referee in 2012, Thomas is no stranger to breaking barriers in American football. She was the first woman to officiate in college football, as well as in a College Bowl game, in 2009. It is also a ground-breaking year for Kathryn Smith, who was hired as Special Teams Quality Control coach with the Buffalo Bills, becoming the first full-time female coach in the NFL. It is Smiths 14th year in the league, having served as an intern and administrative assistant with the New York Jets and Bills, before being appointed as a coach in January. The appointment came at the end of a season where Dr Jen Welter completed a pre-season internship at the Arizona Cardinals, coaching inside linebackers before the team went on to the NFC Championship game later that year. Welter is now a full time linebackers coach at the Dallas Revolution in the American Indoor League. Womens Sport Week Check out all the news from Womens Sport Week, including #myinspirationalwoman Jen Welter served a linebacker coaching internship with the Arizona Cardinals during preseason As the NFL continues to grow as Americas most popular spectator sport, so too does the female viewership. In 2013, the NFL recognised that 45 per cent of its fan base was female, and the viewing figures for women had grown 26 per cent between 2009-2013. We believe were a better organisation when we have diversity, and were making progress on that front, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said following the NFL International series game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts.Were seeing progress not only in coaching and officiating, but we now have four female physicians and six athletic trainers in roles with teams. But we always think we can do better, and I know we will continue to make progress because we will benefit from that diversity. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell believes progress is being made as women are getting more opportunities to progress Sam Rapoport has also been brought in as the leagues director of football development, and has plans in place to support the role of women within teams, as coaches, officials, scouts and trainers as well as within the organisations head office.Carson Tinker, the Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper has spoken with Thomas at training camps, and believes that as a woman she has to go above and beyond to break the stigma of a mans world surrounding the NFL.The NFL is definitely a mans world, so its awesome to be able to come in and earn the respect that they have in the game.They have to work twice as hard, know and do twice as much to prove themselves so theyre definitely deserving of their opportunity.Sky Sports NFL expert Neil Reynolds praised the steps both Smith and Thomas are making in their respective fields. These two ladies are absolute ground-breakers and its good because you dont get to the position that theyre in without proving your worth, and this is a chance for others to follow their lead, he said. The NFL is big on production - its what you bring to the table and both Smith and Thomas have shown that you dont get to that point by accident.Chatting with Sarah at the Jaguars mini-camp, she explained how much any official has to do to reach the NFL. She doesnt do interviews because officials dont do that, and its good that she isnt singled out. She wants to be treated like any other. Shannon Eastin became the first female official in the NFL back in 2012 The NFL can sometimes appear like an old boys club, when the same coaches moves around the league taking their favourite coordinators and coaches with them, but Reynolds believes that the game is changing and doors are being opened.The perception from the outside is that its a closed shop. Thats why what Kathryn Smith is doing can be blazing a trail, and why not have more women coaching in the NFL.The only way now is for these role models to prove their ability at the highest level and if they can do that, then it will only create more opportunities for others. You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: NFL week four highlights What is Womens Sport Week? Womens Sports Week Headlines NFL week five: what to watch Air Max 97 Fiori .Y. -- Major League Soccer has agreed to new measures to protect gay players from discrimination and harassment as a result of meetings with New Yorks attorney general. Air Max 97 Undefeated Outlet . Roma has a game in hand but now second place is even at risk for the capital side as Napoli moved to within three points with the win. "The result is not always fair," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said. 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Coming off a sensational rookie season, Spieth opened the new year by never coming close to bogey and making a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 7-under 66.Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Guard Greivis Vasquez and forward Patrick Patterson, two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors run to an Atlantic Division title in 2013-14, were both given qualifying offers by the team on Saturday. By doing so, the Raptors retain the right to match any offer sheet the restricted free agents receive from another team. Both players came to Toronto in December as part of the trade with Sacramento that sent high-scoring forward Rudy Gay to the Kings. The Raptors went 41-22 following the deal to earn the Eastern Conferences No. 3 playoff seed. Vasquez averaged 9.5 points and 3.7 assists in 61 regular-seaason games as Kyle Lowrys backup with the Raptors.ddddddddddddThe four-year veteran led Toronto in scoring off the bench 25 times after joining the club. Patterson also played an important reserve role with the Raptors, averaging 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 48 games as Torontos primary forward off the bench. The 25-year-old then tallied 10.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game during the clubs opening-round playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors also extended a qualifying offer to guard Nando De Colo, who averaged 3.1 points and 1.6 assists over 21 games after being acquired from San Antonio on Feb. 20. ' ' '