April Florie is an English and special education teacher at Toms River High School East in New Jersey. She’s also the first female football coach in the history of New Jersey’s 42-team Shore Conference and one of only a handful in the state. The 57-year-old mother of two had never coached any sport before she decided to take a leap of faith at a preseason meeting in May and ask Toms River East head football Kyle Sandberg, 36, if he could use an assistant coach on his staff this fall.
Fitting In At the first practice in August, I was petrified. I didn’t even know where to stand. It was a mess. must’ve seen the panic on my face. He pulled me aside and said, ‘Listen, you look so scared. Just shadow me. I literally had no experience three years ago, and now it’s normal for me.’ They just walked me through everything. I must’ve asked a thousand questions. It was like being in another world where they’re speaking a different language.