Gossett blog: Wildcats? Locals weigh in on Tennessee's first female football coach

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

Did you see that Tennessee high school football now has what is believed to be its first female head coach?

"Wow. Welcome to the 21st century," Ted Gatewood, the East Hamilton coach, said. "I wish her luck. If she has the ability and knowledge that the school is looking for it is acceptable."

It immediately brings to mind Goldie Hawn in the 1986 movie "Wildcats."

The lady is Brittney Garner and the school where she reportedly replaced Jeff Holt is Pickett County. She assumed her duties prior to the team's Sept. 12 game against Stone Memorial (a 35-12 loss).

And, no, I'm not about to make some sexist remark. She's probably more capable at this job than most of the "eye candy" TV sideline reporters we're subjected to these days.

"If you are capable, then go for it," said Catherine Neely, one of the toughest and hardest-working people ever to coach in the Chattanooga area.

For years a volleyball and basketball coach at East Ridge, Neely produced numerous winners and still serves as athletic director for the Pioneers.

In order for Garner to succeed, Neely said, "You must have the confidence to withstand the naysayers. She has to be able to portray the confidence to win the guys over."

Just wonder, though, how she'll be received at the Tennessee prep football coaches' clinic.

"I am sure she has probably been more scrutinized than males but that should be expected anytime you have drastic change," Gatewood said. "Look at the CEO's of fortune 500 companies -- Mary Barra, General Motors; Virginia Rometty, IBM. I know this is not the same as a physical sport but they are leaders."

Meigs County's Jason Fitzgerald made an interesting point.

"The difference between her coaching football and a guy coaching girls' basketball is that the guy coaching girls probably played basketball before," he said.

Like Neely, Patty Lane, now an assistant principal at Red Bank, was a veteran coach. She was coached in high school by Hutch Lewis and Susan Thurman and still cherishes the relationship she had with them and also with Grace Keith, her coach at UTC.

"My belief is that as long as you really know you have someone that truly cares about you and believes in you, no matter what your circumstances, you will be a better person because of that relationship," she said. "Having the knowledge of the game is one thing but having a relationship with the coach is another. The best person for the job of coaching is someone that knows the game, knows how to teach and can build a positive relationship with his/her athletes. When I think of coaches I believe it is obvious that the most successful high school coaches are those that have had a positive impact on their athletes."

She pointed out that the successful coaches most often have former players return.

"When I decided to coach and teach 36 years ago, my only hope was, that I would be half as good as Hutch, Susan and Grace at building those relationships, and I knew we would win some games. Young people will work their tails off if they know you are on their side. The same is true in teaching and administration."

• The list of area unbeaten area football teams stands at nine. Teams without a blemish in five games include Baylor, McCallie, McMinn Central, Ooltewah and Signal Mountain. Calhoun, Fort Payne and Rhea County are 4-0. Southeast Whitfield is 3-0.

Ooltewah goes on the road this week to face unbeaten Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport, McMinn Central plays Meigs County, Signal Mountain is at home against Bradley Central, Calhoun plays at Ringgold, Fort Payne is at home against Hazelgreen and Rhea County is on the road at Red Bank. Southeast Whitfield plays Heritage.

While McCallie faces its toughest test of the year Friday -- top-ranked Ensworth comes calling -- Baylor will have an open date.

McCallie and Baylor play a week from Friday at McCallie. Another big game that same Friday finds Signal Mountain playing at Notre Dame (4-1) in a game that should decide the District 7-AA championship.

• Hats off to hard-working Glen Ryan, whose Walker Valley team notched the school's first win over Bradley Central last week. It was a landmark win for the Mustangs, who combined timing, good coaching and perseverance for the victory.

• I'm sure East Ridge coach Tracy Malone tugged at his sanity strings after the Pioneers lost to Brainerd. They were leading 21-6 with six minutes to go, appearing to have the game in hand, but wound up losing 29-28.

• It was good, though, for Brainerd, which notched its first win of the year. For the record, the four teams Brainerd had lost to have a combined 18-2 record.

• The game Friday was tough for Derrick Davis, the hard-working Polk County coach, and one has to commiserate with him over the Wildcats' winless start but on the same hand one has to feel good for McMinn Central coach Josh Goodin, whose Chargers held on for a 20-18 win over the Wildcats last week.

• Have you noticed that I've laid off officials pretty much this year? Well, I've got to say the best-officiated game I've seen all year was Friday at Soddy-Daisy. It topped the one I saw the week before at Central (vs. Marion County), and that one was pretty good.

• There is a push for schools to endorse seven-man officiating crews, which I think is grossly unfair. In this day of tight dollars and cents, we ought to apply a little more fiscal sense because most schools already are strapped financially.

• Noticed that South Pittsburg had to scramble Friday night to beat Whitwell, and I don't see that as a judgment on South Pittsburg as much as serious evidence that R.C. Helton already has turned things around at Whitwell.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.

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