Mallorie Muller: Not a Linear Type of Person
The Women of GP are incredibly lucky to connect and amplify female voices to a wider audience. Many of our guests have careers that would be a dream for most - but appearances can be deceiving, as everyone’s career path is born from a different place. So then how does one pivot from acupuncturist to, let’s say, a member of a mostly female pit crew for Paretta Autosport team for the Indy 500? We had no idea, so we asked Mallorie Muller.
Having been into health and fitness her entire life, Muller completed her Masters in Acupuncture, before Indy swept her away. Originally introduced to the sport as a spectator by her husband, she soon realized IndyCar could be a perfect career path that would continue her passion as an athlete (oh yeah, she was a former collegiate cheerleader and CrossFit junkie) into her post-competition way of life.
So, how does one parlay their training from acupuncturist to pit crew for Paretta Autosport? Muller took stock of her skills, and came to the realization that she’s “not a linear type of person - thinking outside the box allows me to open my eyes up beyond where I am today.” However, coming from a family of medical professionals, taking the ‘right steps’ of going to college, getting a degree, and getting a job was a normal pressure. But she had a personal mandate to help others, and by being part of a pit crew, “I realized it was like treating others; being part of a united goal.” She had found the cross-section of her years of schooling and her dream of working in a sports team, in an ecosystem where the most important value is that every person on the team participates towards accomplishing a shared goal, and in turn, support each other’s betterment.
“Being part of the pit crew, the mentality is ‘let’s work together and learn how to accomplish this.' On a race car team, every single job is important - even if you’re just moving tires and that’s all you do, it’s important.”
With this mindset, a supportive family, and a lot of student loans, she ventured against societal norms and enrolled in pit crew school (we just learned that was a real thing, too). Can you imagine making this huge leap of faith and… only having one other woman in your class? Not seeing many, if any, women outside of the program in the role Mallorie was training for, Beth Paretta, the owner of Paretta Autosport, contacted her pit crew coach and approached her with a plan: a pit crew with the majority-share being women.
“We weren't a marketing schtick, we weren't being flown in because we were pretty faces. The paddock knows this is a huge step forward for the industry, and that no matter the competition, it is a great thing for women to be represented in the sport.”
With no motorsport experience outside of pit crew school, no mechanical knowledge, but a heart full of passion, Muller was suddenly a member of IndyCar’s first female driven team. Did you just get chills? Because we did. And what was that experience like? “Compare it to a fighter - once you’re in the ring, you’re not focused on anything else."
Our favorite parts of these Clubhouse rooms are the interactions - strangers from all corners of the universe can engage with these strong, female voices. A member of the audience asked Muller what her solution would be to draw more women to the sport in the capacity of careers. (Great question, we want the deets too.) She did not hesitate - you could tell she had been thinking about this already:
Representation matters (say it louder for the people in the back!),
Give girls the resources and encouragement they need to develop STEM skills,
Women need to be in a position of power so that they can elevate other women (thanks Beth!),
And last but not least, allyship needs to exist between men and women. It can’t always be women who recognize talent in other women because that progress is happening too slowly, and there are too far and too few. We live in a world where men hold the majority of decision making power (hopefully not for long!), and we, as women, need them to reach down and help us to the top by fostering talent in women.
"Opportunity is the most important aspect - we really need allies in the sport. It requires strong, talented women and men who recognize that, aren't threatened by it, and will lift up those talents."
Take a step back and read that again. Progress happens when we are all aligned on the same goal, which also respects the interest of the sport - the talent pipeline will grow exponentially when we involve a decidedly larger demographic of people into the sport. It fosters innovation, diversity in thinking, and progress (check, check, and check).
She ended off by saying, "At first I was self conscious of my story - like do I deserve to be here? But everyone needs someone to identify with and I hope that someone can identify with my story, and know that you don't always have to follow a linear path."
Muller calls for a continuance of this momentum - in order to honour the legacy of the women on track, we have to continue this wave. What we saw, and we hope that Muller realizes, is that she is part of the sea that will produce more waves for women to break. We see you Mallorie, keep going!
"We are following in the footsteps of women who had to knock doors down purely with grit and determination. We have got to get this wave, this momentum going - it can't just be one superstar and then it all fades away. But it's the right time, and it can happen - and that's a guiding light."
