South Beach Tow's "Bernice" named first female high school football coach in Florida history

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Editor's note: This story was updated Feb. 8 to reflect confirmation of Brunson taking the job, and quotes were added

The star of truTV series South Beach Tow Lakatriona Brunson is now the first female high school football coach in Florida history. School officials had stated that no official hire had been made but a press conference Monday confirmed the hire.

Peter Ariz of CanesInSight.com reported that Brunson has been hired at Jackson (Miami), but Miami Herald reporter Andre Fernandez said school officials told him that Internet reports were premature. At Monday's press conference, Brunson said



“Today is historic for not only Florida, but Miami Jackson. I took a look like, ‘Why can’t I do it?’ We’re just here to change the atmosphere here at Miami Jackson and get some W’s on the board. I know I can do it... Watch what we’re going to do. It’s some big things coming up," she said, according to the Miami Herald.

There's even more star appeal to the possible hire. Former 2 Live Crew rapper Luther Campbell was named assistant head coach. Campbell has coached defense at a handful of schools in the Miami area.

Brunson, a Northwestern (Miami) graduate, played college basketball at Tennessee State and then professional football for the Miami Fury of the Independent Women's Football League. She is a physical education teacher at the school already.

Female coaches are extremely rare in high school football, but there have been similar hires in recent years.

- Last spring, Susan Gremillion took over for her husband Darren at Louisiana School for the Deaf (Baton Rouge, La.).

- In fall of 2014, longtime San Diego Section power San Diego (Calif.) picked Knengi Martin as its new coach after former coach Doug Packwood abruptly stepped down. She was the first varsity female football coach in the San Diego Section, and just the second in state history. The first was Pauline Foster during World War II in 1942 at Corning (Calif.).

- A week before Martin was hired, Brittney Garner earned the job at Pickett County (Byrdstown, Tenn.) following the sudden dismissal of a male head coach.



- In 2010, Natalie Randolph was named head coac at Coolidge (Washington, D.C.).

- Mesa Prep (Ariz.), now known as Arete Prep (Gilbert, Ariz.), was unique in that it had two female coaches. Amy Arnold was the head coach and Angie Darnell was the top assistant. Both had played semi-pro football in the past.

As seen in the video below, coach Brunson is one strong woman.