NJ Mom and Teacher Scores Touchdown as Football Coach!

In the world of predominantly male-dominated sports, here's an inspiring story of a 57-year-old English teacher and mother breaking the mold by venturing into a completely new territory. The sport in question? Football.

April Florie, a self-professed novice with no prior knowledge of the game, embarked on a remarkable journey to become a football coach. With the unwavering support of Toms River East's head football coach, Kyle Sandberg, she's been steadily expanding her football knowledge week by week.

During an interview with Today.com, Florie humorously recounted her initial announcement to her children about her new coaching pursuit. Her 20-year-old son responded with a hint of skepticism, saying, "OK, Ma, yeah, you try that."

She recalled her initial feelings at the first practice, describing herself as "petrified." The experience seemed overwhelming, from struggling to recognize the kids beneath their helmets to feeling like everyone was speaking a completely "different language" with all the football terminology.

At her first game, she found the experience absolutely "exhilarating." She was taken aback by the impact of tackles and the sound of equipment colliding, quite different from the televised broadcasts.

Despite challenges, Florie has been warmly embraced by the players and coaches. She's been primarily focused on coaching the wide receivers and familiarizing herself with the sport's terminology.

The only minor hurdle she mentioned is finding unlocked female bathrooms during games, as most locations tend to keep them locked.

Looking ahead, Florie's aspirations include continuing her coaching journey and, perhaps, mastering the skill of "slinging" the football. Toms River East's 2023 record stands at 4-6.