Football for Femmes?

by Phil Houseal Published in the (Kerrville TX) Community Journal, Sept 3, 2008

Most football players might have quit after their coach told them they were not the fastest player on the field, nor the best player on the field. Brendan Wilson's coach said both those things to him back in his playing days. But his coach also told him something else that changed Wilson's life.

"He told me that in spite of those limitations, I always knew where I was supposed to be on the field," Wilson said. "He said I ought to get into coaching."

After 11 years in the Army, Wilson did just that. He coached more than 10 years at all levels from junior high to college. While an assistant high school coach in Georgia, he helped lead his team to three state championships.

Never a super-sized person, Wilson played at around 180 pounds. He mastered literally every position, from long snapper to returning punts to doing a stint at quarterback. This journeyman approach helped him understand the game at a deeper level.

A self-described "football freak," Wilson loves the game and loves to help other people love it. He will teach a class this fall called "Football for Femmes," helping "football widows" gain an appreciation for the game. He plans to teach the basic terms, identify the positions, and explain the rules. Using tapes from his coaching days, and doing what he calls his "Chalk Talk," Coach Wilson will even draw up some basic strategies and plays.

At the last session, he'll have the class watch a televised professional game, complete with Super Bowl-style snacks and refreshments.

Why would someone so schooled in the intricacies of the game want to try to teach X's and O's to novices?

"I just love football so much," he said. "It just comes natural to me." And despite his love for the game, teaching it is not always easy. "It took about 10 years for my wife to understand the game. During one state championship game I coached, she finally realized what a first down was!"

Wilson now works at the Kerrville VA hospital as Division Manager for Environmental Management Services. But he is still involved in the sport, working as the TV analyst for all Tivy High School football games. He invites anyone wanting to share this love to sign up for his class.

"Because it will be fun and interesting," he said. "I will be open to any type of questions about football."

And he promises not to tell you how slow you are.

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Brendan Wilson will teach Football for Femmes starting Sunday, Sept 14. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.