Controversial: Who Is This?

Often, readers need to know why a person being cited is being cited, like here:

Sandra Adler said, “There probably are girls who want to play on the boys football or baseball teams, but they are not allowed.” 

Okay, so who is Sandra Adler? Why is she being quoted? Is she relevant to the discussion? 

We know she is. She's a former player whose daughter played on last year's team.

Problem is, the reader doesn't know that, unless we let them know who she is, like this:

Sandra Adler, a former player whose daughter was on last year's team, said, “There probably are girls who want to play on the boys football or baseball teams, but they are not allowed.” 

Now, the reader knows why she's a relevant part of the conversation. If there is any risk of confusion or vagueness, be sure to label not only who a person is by name, but what their role is in the matter at hand.