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Nashville, Tenn. -- Five established and successful women administrators in collegiate and professional athletics spoke of their career experiences and challenges during a roundtable discussion, Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women in Athletic Leadership.The forum was hosted by Vanderbilts Department of Athletics to stimulate thought and progress in the promotion of additional diversity in the athletic workplace. Current student-athletes from area colleges dotted the audience composed primarily of local coaches and administrators and members of the general public.The panel included Michelle Kennedy, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer of the Nashville Predators, Tiffany Daniels, Associate Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, Beth DeBauche, Commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, Teresa Phillips, Director of Athletics at Tennessee State University and Candice Lee, Deputy Athletic Director at Vanderbilt University.The administrators were initially asked a variety of questions by Carolyn Peck, a national champion head coach now an associate coach on Vanderbilts womens basketball staff. Later in the program, the floor was opened to questions from the audience.There were many topics covered, including their thoughts on being immersed in a male-dominated enterprise, how to increase female participation in coaching and administration and the steps necessary to improve and/or change the current culture.Perhaps not surprisingly, this panel of strong leaders expressed a generally optimistic and encouraging message, seemingly agreeing that while much work is left to be done to promote more opportunity for women, progress is being made on a number of fronts.Several panelists were asked, for example, how they felt working in a culture that up to the relatively recent past was almost exclusively a mens only club. They cited hard work, mastery of basic skill sets, attention to detail and a firm belief in their own abilities as keys to their success.Ive never felt oppressed, never felt held back because I am a woman, Kennedy said.Commissioner DeBauche urged women not to assume that quality positions will automatically go to male candidates and to get themselves in the mix after confessing that it took her two inquiries from college presidents seeking commissioner candidates while she was at the NCAA that eventually went to women to realize she could become one herself.Daniels, a former University of Georgia student-athlete, said raising a generation of confident young women is vital.I never felt there was anything I couldnt do, Daniels said. I have a mindset that you are not going to out-work me and I want my two young daughters to believe there isnt anything they cant do either.Lee addressed the question of a lack of women in the college coaching ranks, citing a number of challenges including a pipeline issue of qualified candidates and misconceptions some women have regarding the work-life balance required in athletics. She observed that work-life balance in athletics seems to be more emphasized to women, perhaps sending a discouraging message.DeBauche interjected that there needs to be a change in the perception of what a successful coach looks like, noting the concept that successful coaches must sleep in their offices sends the wrong message.Phillips, like Lee and Kennedy a former Vanderbilt basketball student-athlete, talked about athletics as being a big family and affording opportunities to build life-long relationships. Phillips spoke several times from her varied role as a former coach, current administrator and as the mother of a current student-athlete.Panelists agreed that while encouraging young women to be confident and actively follow their dreams, it is equally important to educate young men that their female counterparts are worthy of significant roles and will play a major role in the athletic departments of the future.Arian Foster Texans Jersey . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Cullen Gillaspia Jersey . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. 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Kahale Warring Jersey .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.INDIANAPOLIS -- Hes the hometown hope, the Butler University alum and die-hard Indiana Pacers fan who has put his modest, one-car program on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 ahead of powerhouse programs from Penske Racing and Andretti Autosport. Theres more, though, and it runs as deep as blood. The unflappable Ed Carpenter is also the stepson of series founder Tony George. That means his family tree has roots tracing all the way back to Tony Hulman, who bought Indianapolis Motor Speedway after World War II, and includes Mari Hulman George, who still serves as speedway chairman and on Sunday will proclaim once more, "Gentleman, start your engines!" So to say that much of Carpenters life has been lived in Gasoline Alley, where he spent his formative years, is about as fitting for him as the maxim that "haste makes waste." It also means that the Carpenter is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I started racing quarter midgets when I was 8 years old, and at that point, I was already part of the Hulman family. Thats the way its always been for me," said the 32-year-old Carpenter, whose quiet voice and disarming smile belie a fierce competitive streak. "I dont feel the pressure," he insisted moments later, as if driving home the point. "As far as the local fan base and support, its fun. I dont think that translates into pressure." Perhaps its not that Carpenter feels pressure, but that he no longer recognizes it. Hell be making his 10th start in the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," but his first from the pole. And while peering eyes have been trained on him most of his life, Carpenter insists that the pressure he endures on a daily basis has never managed to overwhelm him. "I dont like to say it means more to me because Im from here," Carpenter said, "but it does mean a lot because of how much I love this place." His first memories of Indianapolis go back to 1991, when he sat in the balcony overlooking the track and watched Rick Mears qualify for the pole. Even then, Carpenter knew that he wanted to one day drive over the hallowed ground that has been in his family for decades. He proved at a young age that he could find victory lane, too, winning national championships in midgets and sprint cars. He graduated to Indy Lights and made his IndyCar debut in 2003, when he was hailed as part of the next wave of young American drivers who might someday wrestle the series back from a surge of foreign stars such as Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. But things got sidetracked along the way, as they often do in racing, and Carpenter became an after-thought.dddddddddddd. He started to bounce around to different teams, trying to find magic once more. It wasnt until 2011, when he hooked up with Sarah Fisher Racing, that he won his first IndyCar race. And last year, after founding his own team, he surprised everyone but himself when he took the checked flag at the series finale at California. "Hes really a talent, and hes been developing for a long time, and hes become a special driver," said veteran Buddy Lazier, who also has a single-car team for this years Indy 500. "Its a huge inspiration," Lazier added. "Absolutely." That success would eventually come to Carpenter didnt come as a surprise to those closest to him. Time after time, they point out that he never gets too high or low -- that he keeps an even keel in the roughest of waters, and remains grounded during the best of times. "We all look at sports and talk about sports like its the end-all, be-all, right? But when youre in it, you realize theres a lot more to life," said Butler basketball coach Brad Stevens, whos known Carpenter for about six years. "I think hes got a great perspective on it." It was that perspective that stood out to former Masters and U.S. Open champion Fuzzy Zoeller, whose spirits company sponsors the No. 20 car that Carpenter will be driving on Sunday. "He doesnt run hot and cold, like 90 per cent of athletes do. Hes very, very calm," Zoeller said. "He doesnt get too fired up, he doesnt get too down, and thats very impressive. "Its a difficult thing," Zoeller added, "because they only have one car. But hey, dreams are made, right? You have to start with something." While he insists that pressure seems to run from his shoulders like water, Carpenter admits that hell be anxious when Sunday dawns. Hes not immune to the pageantry of the Indianapolis 500, the fly over and Jim Nabors and everything else that makes it such an iconic event. This is in his blood, after all. Its part of his very fabric. Nor does he know what his emotions will be like when the green flag drops, and he leads the field of 33 cars into the first corner with nothing in front of him but pavement. But its a moment that he intends to relish. "I mean, if someone out there tells you they dont get butterflies or dont get antsy, theyre flat-out liars," Carpenter said with a smile. "Theres no way people dont walk out from driver intros and see the crowd and dont feel that. I get goose bumps just thinking about it." ' ' '