Brittney Garner named first female high school football head coach in Tennessee history

Brittney Garner — not to be confused with WNBA star Brittney Griner — is likely about to make some national headlines in the next week or two.

The 25-year-old softball coach at Pickett County (Byrdstown, Tenn.) has just added a new coaching title to her resume: 

Football coach.

In a story first broken by Examiner.com's Donovan Stewart, Garner was actually hired last week as the head coach and lost her debut to Stone Memorial 35-12. The Bobcats, who dropped to 1-3, play Monterey (Tenn.) Friday at Tennessee Tech.

She replaces Jeff Holt, who was let go last week.

Garner, a former basketball and softball standout at Pickett County, is believed to be the first female head football coach in state history.

Stewart checked with TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress, who said: "We are not aware of one."

That historical fact, plus the rarity of a woman coaching boys — especially football — makes Garner's new role as the leader of young football players, if nothing else, interesting.

In an email interview (see below), she said those facts were the last things on her mind when she accepted the post. She was surprised that an interview request, let alone one from a national source, would follow.

"I didn't realize that taking this position would lead me to interview questions or phone calls," she wrote. "I was simply doing this in the interest of our students. To see them happy is truly rewarding and exciting."

Even if there isn't much success on the field. Pickett County has won just three games since 2009, while dropping 51. How important is it for her to win?

"By nature, I'm a very competitive person, just like most athletes," she wrote. "Of course we all want to win. But my reason for being there is so the boys can play their sport and have a good time."

Garner said it's quite different than coaching softball, but is thankful for all the help and support from her football staff. One of those is O.B. Caudle, who returned to the program after he resigned in February as the previous head coach for three seasons. Caudle told the Tennessean that Garner is more of an administrator and the assistants actually coach the team.

In 2010, Coolidge (Washington, D.C.) made national news after naming Natalie Randolph as head football coach. Many speculated that she was the first female in the country with such a title at the prep level.

But MaxPreps senior writer Kevin Askeland found at least two females — both named Pauline — coached high school football teams during World War II.

Pauline Rugh coached at Bell Township in Salinas, Pa. in 1943, a year after Pauline Foster took over at Corning (Calif.).

See story

Randolph resigned in November after four seasons at Coolidge, after a 1-10 season last year. Coolidge was 8-3 in 2011 with Randolph as coach and is 16-26 in her tenure.

Randolph told MaxPreps correspondent Joseph Santoliquito last summer that the biggest obstacle she faced initially wasn't her players, but the media.

"There's always been acceptance," she said in Aug. of 2013. "That's been the least of my worries. The kids had to deal more with pressure than I did, having a female coach. But they handled it pretty well. Everyone wanted to talk to me and we tried to be as accommodating as possible. But I really wasn't the story. I still don't believe I am. These kids were in limbo. They didn't have a coach and I taught a lot of them."

Randolph said she naturally had some skeptics among her players. But she dealt with them head on.

"There were some kids that couldn't accept [a female coach], and I remember three coming to me and telling me their concerns," she said. "It's funny, because they're all in college and I've stayed pretty close to them. They told me they never had a female coach before and I told them it was understandable, we'll learn together."

On Tuesday, by coincidence, San Diego High School announced it had elevated its junior varsity coach Knengi Martin to varsity head coach. Martin, too, is a woman. More on that later. Read San Diego Union-Tribune.

In Arizona, Amy Arnold has been the head coach at 8-man program Arete Prep (Gilbert, Ariz.) since 2008. See story.

Q&A with Brittney Garner

Mitch Stephens: How, if at all, do you plan to coach football players differently than softball players?
Brittney Garner: When I first began playing sports I learned quickly that men's and women's sports are two totally different things. As far as a plan, don't have one. This opportunity is a learning experience for me. The coaching staff at Pickett County has had a lot of interaction with these young men so I expect to learn a lot of techniques from them.

MS: Did you consider not taking the position, and what inspired you to take it?
BG: Not for a second did I consider not taking the spot. That would have meant that the boys wouldn't be able to play.

MS: Do you have male siblings or were you around male sports much growing up?
BG: I do not have any male siblings, but I have always been around all different kinds of sports my entire life. My family has always been big into sports.

MS: Have you yet heard or been faced with any opposition from football players about being the coach based upon your gender?
BG: I haven't heard anything negative. The whole team, school system and community has been nothing but supportive.

MS: I realize you just started, but what's been the toughest part so far?
BG: The toughest part so far has definitely just been the media. I really didn't expect this or was not prepared for it at all.

MS: What are you most looking forward to in this endeavor?
BG: I'm most looking forward to being part of a team that has worked so hard this season and has so much heart. They are a great group of young men.

MS: Just for fun, do you get confused — by name alone obviously — for Brittney Griner? Have any funny stories?
BG: So funny, yes. My friends definitely get a kick out of that. Unfortunately for me, the similarity in the name is all we share. I would definitely love to have her skill.

MS: We just found out, that San Diego High School has just named a new varsity head football coach and she also is a woman. Any reaction?
BG: Awesome. Congratulations to her.