This is Sports Spectrum, the Sports and Faith podcast where we bring Jesus into the conversation.

Here's your host, Jason Romano.

Hey, everyone.

Welcome to Sports Spectrum.

So good to have you joining us here on the show today.

I am Jason Romano.

You can reach me directly with my email address, Jason at Sportspectrum.com, Jason at SportsSpectrum.com.

And we are presented today by IJM, the International Justice Mission, helping to protect more than

150 million people from violence and oppression around the world.

You can become a freedom partner and join the fight to end slavery right now by going to

the website, IJM.org slash TF, IJM.org slash TF to become a freedom partner today.

Very excited to welcome to Sports Spectrum today.

Ashton Washington.

She is the director of high school relations for the University of Illinois football team, the

Aligni football program under head coach Lovie Smith.

And Ashton is a pioneer.

She's the first ever female staff member in the history of the Aligni football program.

And when I heard about her story and how she is really paving the way for females and, I mean, for African Americans, too, in an opportunity

to work in football with the University of Illinois.

I said, let's get Ashtonan.

Let's hear about her journey.

This is a woman who has trusted in God, been patient,

...