Mar. 13 2010 - 11:55 am | 68 views | 0 recommendations | 4 comments

D.C. High School Names Woman as Head Football Coach

By JODY DIPERNA

: Image via Wikipedia

Congratulation Natalie Randolph, former wide receiver for the D.C. Divas, who was named as the head football coach of the Coolidge High School team in D.C.

Randolph will run across some detractors and some people, no doubt. will be threatened by the notion of a woman leading a boys team, as Bob Cooke points out. (See Bob, this is why I never, ever read comments posted to stories. But then, I am a dinosaur.)

But Randolph’s most important job — winning over the locker room — is already done, according to the Washington Post, who broke the story:

One of the most difficult groups of people to potentially sway proved to be the most easily convinced. When Randolph met with about 40 members of the team in a school conference room on Tuesday afternoon, some of the players had already heard rumors of her appointment. After Principal Thelma Jarrett introduced Randolph, there was overwhelming applause because Randolph is a popular and well-liked teacher among the Coolidge student body.

Kate Sullivan, of the Pittsburgh Passion, texted me last night to let me know how thrilled she was for Randolph who is, according to Sullivan, “a grt girl.” (At least I think that was Sully’s text shorthand.)

As a player with the Divas, she won a championship and played in another championship game last year. I don’t know Coach Randolph personally, but I have seen her play. She’s a good player — disciplined, tough and smart. (Actually, most of the Divas are. That is one good team.)

I’m sure she’ll do well as the head coach, but it won’t happen overnight. It will take a while before that team takes on Randolph’s stamp. I see a road trip to D.C. a Coolidge High game in my fall plans.

For more on this story, which seems to have been picked up everywhere, the Diva’s website has links to all those stories and the Post’s photo gallery is great.