WASHINGTON — The football players at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School, Mayor Adrian Fenty and a room full of cheering staff needed only one word to describe her: coach.
Natalie Randolph, a 29-year-old biology and environmental sciences teacher, was introduced Friday as the coach of the school’s Coolidge Colts. She’s believed to be the nation’s only female head coach of a high school varsity football team.
“While I’m proud to be part of what this all means,” Randolph said, “being female has nothing to do with it. I love football. I love football, I love teaching, I love these kids. My being female has nothing to do with my support and respect for my players on the field and in the classroom.”
The news conference drew the kind of attention usually reserved for the Washington Redskins and was delayed nearly two hours so Fenty, who is up for re-election this year, could be there and proclaim “Natalie Randolph Day” in the city.
Randolph was chosen from about 15 candidates after the previous coach resigned. The Washington native and University of Virginia track star played six seasons as a receiver for the D.C. Divas of the National Women’s Football Association, helping the team win the title in 2006.
She also was an assistant coach from 2006-08 at another D.C. high school, H.D. Woodson, where opposing coaches would throw funny looks her way when told she was on the staff.
Now she’s a head coach, ready to dispel naysayers. And she doesn’t plan to do it by screaming in the kids’ faces.
“I’m probably more Tony Dungyesque,” said Randolph, who has a copy of the Super Bowl-winning coach’s book. “I’m soft-spoken, so me yelling is not me. I’m going to be me. That’s what I do in the classroom. When I get observed, the observers say ’I didn’t expect you to be able to handle this class,’ but I do what I have to do to get it done.”
Randolph’s finance, Thomas Byrd, warned that Randolph’s polite demeanor could be misleading — “She packs a mean punch,” he said — and her Divas teammates were on hand to describe the grit that kept her playing on a severely injured ankle several years ago.
But Randolph will no doubt have to work a bit harder than the average coach to win the respect of players, opposing coaches and the football community at large.
Keith Bulluck, a 10-year NFL veteran, posted on Twitter that he’s “not saying it can’t be done or shouldn’t be done. Football is clearly a mans sport & it’s 2 be seen how young men take to their coach being a woman.”
Randolph, her hair in dreadlocks with blonde highlights, wore a stylish necklace Friday. Some of her players already know and respect her — she’s been a teacher at the school for two years. They also know players on other teams will have a field day talking trash.
“I need trash talk as my ammunition to do better,” junior defensive tackle Daniel West said. “There’s nothing like proving somebody wrong. And I think that’s what we’re going to have to do this season — because a lot of people have something to say about her being our coach, and I feel like it’s my duty and it’s the team’s duty to prove everybody wrong, to show that it doesn’t matter. As soon as we start winning, everybody will want to be on the bandwagon.”
Coolidge went 6-4 last season under coach Jason Lane and has a state-of-the-art field, so it’s not necessarily a school that needs to draw attention. Principal Thelma Jarrett insisted that in “no way” was this a publicity stunt.
“On the field, in the classroom — we’ll prove ’em wrong,” Jarrett said.
Added Randolph: “People are always going to think negative things. I know what the deal is. My administration supports me, the kids support me. So that’s all that really matters.”
The schedule, however, poses an unusual challenge. Her finance is the offensive coordinator at Woodson. That should make for an interesting week when the rivals play.
“Good competition, good fun,” she said with a smile. “I love you all over there, but we’re going to beat you on the field and go hang out later.”
Football
Related Photos
-
Natalie Randolph, 29, poses with members of her team after being introduced during a news conference as the new head football coach at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington Friday. Associated Press
D.C. high school football team gets female coach
- Football
-
-
Redman ready to carry load for Steelers
They don't celebrate NFL backups in southern New Jersey. Trust Isaac Redman on this.
-
Former WVU coach Bill Stewart dies from heart attack
Former West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart, who was hailed as Rich Rodriguez’s successor but wound up leaving the school in a messy split, died Monday of what athletic department officials said was an apparent heart attack. He was 59.
-
Big 12, SEC champs to play in New Year's Day bowl
The Big 12 and the Southeastern conferences have announced a deal that will pit their football regular-season champions against each other in a New Year’s Day bowl game for five years beginning in 2014, positioning themselves for the expected switch to a four-team playoff.
-
Junior Seau buried in hometown
Hours after Junior Seau was buried in his hometown, thousands of fans attended a public memorial service at Qualcomm Stadium, where the hard-hitting, fist-pumping linebacker starred for 13 seasons.
-
Seattle signs its complete draft class
he Seahawks have come to terms on a multi-year deal with first-round pick Bruce Irvin, a defensive end taken 15th overall in last month’s draft to help fill Seattle’s need for a speed pass rusher to come off the edge.
-
Vilma, others fight suspensions in bounty case
Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and three other players suspended in the NFL’s investigation of New Orleans’ cash-for-hits bounty system challenged their punishments Monday.
-
Undrafted Keenum eager to join Texans
Overlooked again, Case Keenum will start his NFL career close to where he proved his skeptics wrong in college.
The record-setting Houston quarterback said Monday that he will sign as an undrafted free agent with the Texans, the team he was hoping would give him his shot. -
Boise State quarterback signs with Lions
Boise State standout Kellen Moore has agreed to a free-agent deal with Detroit, giving the Lions someone to develop behind starter Matthew Stafford and backup Shaun Hill.
-
Ravens trade first-round pick to Vikings
The Ravens traded the 29th overall pick in the NFL draft to the Minnesota Vikings, a move that leaves Baltimore without a first-round selection for the second time in three years.
-
Hail to the new Redskin!
There was no mistaking Robert Griffin III at the NFL draft. The ends of his dreadlocks settled onto a baby blue jacket. His checkered-patterned shirt was offset by a purplish tie with horizontal stripes.
- More Football Headlines
-
