When Samantha Rubin walked into the room, she was met with looks of confusion.
She let out a sigh.
This was nothing unusual. People are often confused when — expecting to meet the general manager of a collegiate baseball team — they’re greeted by her: a 26-year-old woman.
So Rubin did what she always does: Extend her hand, introducing herself as the person in charge.
It’s unsurprising that when meeting someone in a leadership position in sports many expect to see a man. According to a 2023 survey by Sport Integrity Global Alliance, only 26.9% of executive positions in international sports federations are held by women. Just three years ago, in November 2020, the MLB hired its first female general manager (GM), Kim Ng, who also became the first woman to become GM of a men’s major sport in North America.
So in 2021, when Rubin became the first woman in the history of the Madison Mallards collegiate baseball team to be appointed general manager, interviewers often seemed more interested in her gender than her experience and education in sports.
“I remember asking (the team’s president), ‘I don’t get it. Why?’” Rubin recalled.
The president assured her that despite the publicity, her hiring was no PR stunt.
“I will never forget what he said to me,” Rubin said. “He said, ‘Sam, we didn’t bring you in because you’re a female. We weren’t looking to hire the first female GM in the history of the Mallards. We brought you in because you were the best person for the job.’”
Shortly after taking the job, in one interview Rubin said, “Women are rising in the sports industry, and to be a part of that movement is an honor.”
But while the number of women working in sports has started to increase over the years, Rubin also noted that she faced a number of challenges as she rose through the ranks. And while the stigmas are still prevalent, Rubin looks forward to joining the ranks of role models for future generations of women and girls in sports and fitness.
Many of these role models work and train at CrossFit gyms around the globe.
In fact, on top of her career in baseball, Rubin is also a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer at CrossFit Recursive in Madison, Wisconsin, where she continues to inspire women to stay athletic and healthy throughout their lives.
A Safe Space to Play
Rubin grew up playing basketball and softball, and she loved to watch baseball and football. While pursuing a sports management degree at the University of Florida (UF), she was a competitive rower.
Samantha Rubin on the rowing team at UF | Photo courtesy of Rubin
But upon graduation in 2019, the number of opportunities for Rubin to participate in sports declined rapidly.
Although Rubin found no sport to join after college, she did find CrossFit, an outlet that supported men and women equally.
In CrossFit gyms, athletes of all genders can work out side-by-side, sharing weights, workout space, and fist bumps.
Rubin learned that women own and coach at thousands of CrossFit gyms around the world.
Most importantly for Rubin, CrossFit offered her a space where she saw women have a safe space to play and stay active through adulthood.
Recovering From Failure
The woman Rubin is today can be attributed to her involvement in both team sports and CrossFit.
Team sports teach grit, leadership, and teamwork. They teach you how to be a better human.
And CrossFit teaches the same qualities.
“(In sports) you learn about who you are when you fail. How do you recover from that? Everyone fails in life, right? Sports (teach you) to pick yourself back up, say ‘there’s tomorrow’ or ‘there’s a game next week,’ and you make yourself better from that fail or that loss,” Rubin said. “And the same thing (is true in) CrossFit. I’ve been time-capped many times, right? But you look at it, and you’re like, ‘That’s OK. This is fine. Tomorrow, I’ll take this and I’ll learn from it and I’ll scale better, or I’ll do a different move. You have to learn how to recover from failure.”
At a CrossFit gym, the athletes in your class are your teammates. They support you through every workout. They celebrate when you finish. They pick you up when you fail. They cheer for you when you succeed, and it feels like just as much of a success for them as it does for you.
“Push limits where you’re weak,” Rubin said. “I’ve learned that in sports and CrossFit … because that’s how you get better as a human being.”
Samantha Rubin at CrossFit Recursive | Photo courtesy of Rubin
Pressure to Inspire
Rubin had no women to look up to while pursuing her career in sports. There weren’t any female general managers in baseball — or any of the men’s major sports. Working in sports as a woman at all was rare.
She had to rely on grit and determination to get to the top.
While pursuing her degree, she interned for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball team. Upon graduation, she was hired full time as a marketing coordinator. But she didn’t stop there. After two years, she was ready for more responsibility.
Rubin interviewed for a marketing position with the Madison Mallards in the summer of 2021. Although she was offered the position, she turned it down, as it didn’t offer as much leadership as she was hoping for. Just a few months later, she received a call from the president of the Madison Mallards. He said the team couldn’t find a replacement for the GM who had stepped down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“No one can stop talking about you. Do you want to do it?” he continued.
Samantha Rubin, GM of the Madison Mallards | Photo courtesy of Rubin
Becoming a GM of a sports team had always been Rubin’s dream. But as a 26-year-old female, she did not expect to reach that goal so quickly.
“I thought that it would take a really long time, especially being a female, right? What would take a guy a year, I thought it would take me five,” Rubin said.
As general manager, Rubin oversees a staff of over 20 employees from marketing to HR. She sets ticket pricing, confirms sponsorship deals, and orchestrates everything the team needs to run smoothly.
Despite being the only woman in a room full of men, Rubin felt no pressure to prove herself to them. She knew she was qualified to be there. The only pressure she felt was to be a good role model for younger women and girls who wish to have a career in sports.
“We actually just had an intern apply for one of our internships (at the Madison Mallards), and in their cover letter, they said, ‘Your GM came to speak to our business class, and it inspired me because I’ve never thought about pursuing a career in sports. I never thought I could,’” Rubin said.
When she had the opportunity to coach CrossFit at CrossFit Recursive on top of her career in sports, she jumped at the opportunity to expand her leadership skills and inspire more women and girls to stay active, earning her Level 1 Trainer credential and joining the gym’s coaching staff in December 2022.
In a CrossFit class, “you have an hour to lead in the best ability you can,” Rubin said.
For the girls growing up watching strong women in the CrossFit gym or on TV at the CrossFit Games, they will see what is possible in terms of their fitness and athleticism.
For girls watching Rubin run a collegiate-level men’s baseball team, they will see what they can achieve in their careers.
“Just put yourself out there. There’s gonna be barriers, and there’s gonna be pushback. … You just have to own it,” Rubin said. “You’ve got to go into it, and you’ve got to be confident.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelley Laxton is a sportswriter and editor for CrossFit, LLC. Graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in journalism and sports media, she has become passionate about promoting women in sports through her writing. Kelley has previously written for Her Sport, the first women’s sports magazine in Ireland, and continues to share the stories of strong women in the Sport of Fitness. She currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and enjoys her morning CrossFit class at CrossFit NCR.
The Grit for Greatness — Samantha Rubin Paves New Paths for Women in Sports