The San Francisco 49ers have expanded their coaching staff by adding eight interns as part of the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship. Among them is Katie Sowers, the 49ers’ first female on-field coach.

Sowers, no stranger to the game, played for the Kansas City Titans, which is part of the Women's Football Alliance. While with the Titans she was an eight-time All-American, but it was only the beginning for her football career.

In 2013 she played for the U.S. Women's National Team in the IFAF Women’s World Championship. Sowers was captain of the team and ultimately helped the U.S. capture a gold medal, earning MVP honors in the process.

MORE: 2017 IFAF Women’s World Championship

Her next opportunity in football is the one she always wanted, taking her from the playing field to the sideline.

Sowers was offered a coaching internship with the Atlanta Falcons, working with the wide receivers, in 2016.

“I always grew up knowing I wanted to coach, knowing I wanted to impact people in that way," Sowers said.

Upon completing her coaching internship with the Falcons, and making an impact, she accepted an offer to remain with the team for nine months as a scouting intern.

Now Sowers will reunite with a familiar face, 49ers' head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Shanahan was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator during Sowers internship in Atlanta. During that time, Sowers left a lasting impression on Shanahan.

“She came in and worked with the receivers and did as good a job as anyone I’ve had in an internship,” Shanahan told the Sacramento Bee. “We loved having her around. She was eager to learn.”

The 49ers' full-squad minicamp opened on Tuesday where Sowers was alongside receiver coach, Mike LaFleur. She’ll work with LaFleur throughout training camp.

From there, it’s unclear where the next step in Sowers’ coaching pathway will lead her. What is clear, is that she possesses the football acumen, passion and drive to keep climbing up the proverbial latter of the coaching profession.