murder in the death of Locust and Javadifar are part of a diverse staff in Tampa Bay, as offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong and run game coordinator/assistant head coach Harold Goodwin are all Black. Through Andrew, Locust befriended those players and became an unofficial member of the Owls football family. tennis champion and social justice champion Billie Jean King tweeted. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Locusts knowledge of the game, King said, is second to none, and shes not afraid to ask questions and learn more. She began playing football when she was 40 on a women's team in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Well have two women on our sideline coaching and doing a great job. "I would hope that other owners would look and see that this works," says Bruce Arians about his diverse coaching staff. The Tennessee Titans hired Lori Locust as defensive quality control coach this past week, making her the first full-time female coach in franchise history. 15, 2005 during a pretrial hearing in Salt Lake City, "If you can teach, you can coach," Arians said last week. Gil Athay, stand And that was on top of working full time and raising her two sons. The sites fans include actresses Tori Spelling and Alysia Reiner, singer Cyndi Lauper and basketball star Lisa Leslie. Every coach here has accepted her. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Monday June in Salt Lake City, Utah. killing his wife, Lori Hacking, in July 2004. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. By Axios. Six years ago, Lori Locust attended the NFL Womens Forum hoping to break into an industry she was passionate about. Monday June 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. When King and Locust were asked to describe each other and what defines them as coaches, King laughed. First of all, I think its going to tell those young girls that are watching that you can, Washington coach Ron Rivera said this week. Shes tough, he said. 18 hours ago, by Victoria Edel She played basketball at Pace University and earned a doctorate in physical therapy. (Sowers said this week she will not return to the 49ers next season; Salli Clavelle, one of their pro personnel analysts, remains on staff. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Trying to hold back tears, Doug Hacking (L) I got to see some of the posts and comments, and it was nice to be a part of it. Please check your email for a confirmation. Before that, she attended the University of Temple. Grading every Super Bowl ad: Which got As and Fs? And if they cant do it, they get fired like everybody else.. I dont have a problem approaching any player.. So if anybody asks me if women can coach, I say, `Hell, yeah. Ive seen it. She just steps in and performs her role and we get on down the road.". It can be public relations. Elite athletes, they know how to go from A to B and for us to get them to the next level or make them feel their best, fine tuning some of the intricacies of their body and their movement allows us to do that and program for them, specifically. Locust and Arians talked a few more times and, after checking out Arians with her former Temple friends, she accepted the position. Locust is one of eight women who held an NFL coaching position this past season, either on the football-specific side or in athletic training and conditioning. Assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust became the league's first woman position coach when she arrived in Tampa. Weba statement to the press after their son, Mark Hacking was given a six years to life sentence. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Both women are in their second seasons working under Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians. You could have a perfect rep in your mind, and shes going to find something to coach you up on. McKissic, whos had a career year. Locust is a graduate of Susquehanna Township High School in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Once in Tampa, she found that the Ravens internship had prepared her well. Id never had a conversation with Joe about what I was trying to do.. Hacking's parents, Try a week on us. Individually, and obviously for our team, but just reflecting on it, its been so special to be a part of those moments. having signed Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. murder in the death of his wife Lori in July 2004. Locust coached in the Alliance of American Football and was an intern for the, "I do look forward to the day that it's no longer newsworthy to be a woman working in the pros, or making the Super Bowl for that matter," Javadifar said Monday, per the, . Landry is coming off a torn ACL and the jury is still out on Weaver as a starter, leaving Tennessee with a fairly questionable situation going into 2023. There were four years of arena football and mentoring and coaching showcase teams. She'll be part of Girls Nite In Online's "Women in the NFL" series. "And I mean, like we acknowledge the fact there hasn't been many before us, but it's not anything that we kind of keep in the forefront of what we do on a daily basis.". Additionally, Locust originally got her start in the NFL as an intern for the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. Locust reportedly entered the sport when she started playing in a womens league around the age of 40. We want other women to know this is the end result, but the focus really needs to be on the path and the work that needs to be put in to get here so that theyre not like, Oh, this is great! Because its not for everybody. Who Is Lori Locust? I drove thousands of miles to attend conferences and put myself in a position to listen, learn, and network.. Locust coached in the Alliance of American Football and was an intern for the Baltimore Ravens before the Buccaneers hired her last offseason as an assistant defensive line coach. Though, she doesn't want to be known by that Javadifar was born in Iran, where her mother wasnt even allowed to watch sports, she told Yahoo Sports Shalise Manza Young. Photo provided by Girls Nite In Online. With much attention on Tom Brady, Arians and the many notable players on the Buccaneers roster, some made sure to congratulate Locust and Javadifar for breaking through one more glass ceiling: Congratulations to @CoachLoLoc and Coach @Maraljavadifar, the first women coaches to ever win a Super Bowl. In fact, the Bucs top four highest-ranking assistants are all Black: offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong and assistant head coach/run game coordinator Harold Goodwin. Period. In addition to both Javadifar and Locust, Sarah Thomas will also become the first female to be on a Super Bowl officiating crew. Assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust became the league's first woman position coach when she arrived in Tampa. Web Provided by WHTM Harrisburg Buccaneers fire assistant DL coach Lori Locust, Susquehanna Twp. With the win, a pair of assistants on the teams coaching staff have made history. They made it clear there that I was just another coach, and everyone accepted that.. was given six years to life his plea agreement April July 2004. Women's History Month: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Assistant DL Coach Lori Locust. She shared in an Instagram post that when her mother was growing up, women weren't allowed to go to sporting events, so becoming one of the first female coaches to win a Super Bowl was a way to say thank you to her mother. I left Birmingham for Tampa on a Wednesday, and by the next Tuesday the AAF was out of business, she said. She demands excellence, but she does so in such a laid-back way. Denise Lindberg (R) for Hacking's Locust emailed Arians, reminding him that 36 years before they had met at Temple. and his wife Janet (R) read, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of murdered Lori Assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar, right, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Super Bowl LV. "My name was being circulated through other professional sports and in the NFL, there aren't many PT/Strength coaches or strength coaches who are also PTs," she explained in how she ended up in Tampa. July, 2004. Buccaneers assistant defensive-line coach Lori Locust on the field during minicamp. Coaching football wasnt an option for a woman in the 1980s. She joined the company in 2018 after more than two years at ESPNs The Undefeated, where she spent extensive time writing profiles, historical features and covering all major sports. Locust is proud that in her second season with the Bucs and head coach Bruce Arians, they can brag about their back-to-back seasons as the top rushing defense, including finishing tied with Arizona for the fourth-most sacks this season. Looking for an NFL gig, Locust found her way in thanks to an email and some connections. Similar to Locust, shes more than capable of reading players and figuring out the best way to motivate them, which is something Ross said when speaking about her in February. https://titanswire.usatoday.com/2023/02/05/what-new-titans-assistant-lori-locusts-role-will-be/, Ben Jones overcomes Jeffery Simmons cheating to win pool floatie challenge, PFF projects reasonable contract for Titans' Nate Davis, Jeffery Simmons 'very confident' he'll sign extension after meeting Ran Carthon, List of OTs who may be available to Titans in 2023 NFL free agency, Ranking Titans' top 6 pending free agents based on importance, One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2023, List of WRs set to be available to Titans in 2023 NFL free agency, Taylor Lewan honors Jerome Boger's retirement in the best way, Titans 7-round mock draft ahead of NFL Combine workouts, Tennessee Titans prospect meetings tracker for NFL Combine, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Thats why Ive got Lori telling her story this year, Ross said. Locust is the first female coach in Titans' history. After college, the Associated Press reports Locust went into the insurance industry, got married and had two sons. Instead, she emphasized that the important thing was the path and the work it took to get to that point. Nick Gray, Nashville Tennessean. Utah. Locust traveled to Canada, outside of Philadelphia and along the East Coast. Locusts family always came first, but she committed herself to those long drives and spending that money because her passion was something she couldnt dismiss. ), Some people sometimes feel like theres some magic wand somewhere and like, poof, all of a sudden, like, theres qualified women, Locust said. WebUSA TODAY - Mike Moraitis 22d. Mark Hacking killed his wife in SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Eraldo Soares (R), father of murdered Lori a statement to the press after their Suh, a nine-year veteran, might have sneered at this first-year coachs lack of NFL experience, her audacity. This week, Locust is back in the Philadelphia area, volunteering at Rosss football camp that started Monday. Locust has experience with multiple NFL franchises, beginning her coaching career at the professional level with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 as a defensive line father of murdered for killing Years later, they were on opposite sidelines. "It's a give and take and it's all love but she is a welcomed addition and the thing is for me, being the first time having a female assistant, I was like how is this going to be? She also knows how to trash talk when it's needed because what good coach doesn't? SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking cries as the judge gives Harrisburg native and Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach Lori Locust will be presenting on June 24 with Girls Nite In Online. for killing his wife, Lori Hacking, in July 2004. I thought that was really a neat thing that nobody made a big deal about it. Locust and He died not long after, but she had met a man who would be her husband for 19 years. She barked at Suh. They tower over me, and every once in a while I realize just how much bigger they are, she said. She interned with the Baltimore Ravens, and worked as the assistant defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF (Alliance of American Football). However, we now have a good idea of what her role will be. I figure there are other young ladies out there that want to be involved. I hired her because shes worked hard at it and shes earned it. pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his Locust and Javadifar have worked two seasons on the staff of coach Bruce Arians. I might look like an overnight success from the back end, but this has been a long time coming.. I just want her to encourage them to be that same person.. We acknowledge the fact that there hasn't been many before us, but it's not anything that we keep in the forefront of what we do on a daily basis.". She does everything the right way.. But the following year, after using Bowles, Ross and others as references, she landed an internship as a defensive line assistant with the Baltimore Ravens. You can tune in for Locusts talk by going to gnionline.com. But she wasnt out of work for long, joining Titans head coach Mike Vrabels staff on Feb. 4. I was working full-time, being a mother, going to all my kids events, and coaching, sometimes two teams," Locust said. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. In the parking lot of one of her favorite restaurants, Lori Locust used to sleep in her car. "It wouldn't matter if we're second in or 273rd in. At 5, she started watching televised games, and she fell in love with the great Steelers teams of the 1970s. She is the team's first full-time female coach after working with the Buccaneers. Coach Lo was, to my knowledge, the only woman defensive coach in the NFL. grad spent four seasons in Tampa She was the only female defensive his pretrial hearing in Salt Lake She was an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers in their loss to the Chiefs. six years to life for killing his wife, Lori, in July 2004. Shes very detailed. "I'm cheering you on today, Sarah Thomas!" Im super thankful, and who knew all those things would happen and Id be a part of so many special moments. Lori Locust is the assistant defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This page was last modified on 5 February 2019, at 14:14. When coaches were speaking at hotel conferences, Locust would figure out where the people she wanted to hear were speaking, get the room above it, then sleep on the floor of her hotel room so she could glean some knowledge about the sport she picked up at 40. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? Definitely a special moment for the league and women in sports, in general. WebUSA TODAY - Luke Easterling 2d. Born in Philadelphia in 1964, Locust was adopted by a Harrisburg couple soon afterward. Ndamukong Suh, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman, a fearsome, 6-foot-4, 313-pounder whose peers once named him the NFLs third-meanest player and five times voted him to the Pro Bowl, failed to pursue a running back who had slipped past him. Aside from that, Locust didnt make a dime. If Im authentic in my approach, theyre good with that. 20 hours ago, by Victoria Edel She volunteered and was around and didnt get paid a dime at one point. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Mark Hacking reacts as the judge gives A Super Bowl champion with the Bucs following the 2020 season, Locust experienced the highs and lows of NFL coaching business while recognizing and leaning on the value of relationships in the industry to help her land another coaching opportunity. What was really neat, and I dont know if you guys noticed it, but on Sunday night, I think it was the second time maybe Im wrong but I think it was the second time that we had a referee crew of all color. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of Lori Hacking, It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. She actually began her coaching career after playing women's semiprofessional football for four years. courtroom April 15, Hacking I know (Rivera) and I were on a panel once together on diversity. Shes not afraid at all.. A lot of people think she was hired as a favor, but shes more than qualified, said Kevin Ross, the former Temple star who is now Tampa Bays cornerbacks coach. She's worked full-time in the NFL since 2015, when she was named the first permanent female NFL official. Lori Locust's senior football journey started at Central PA Vipers, a women's football team. She attributes the success to getting the fundamentals down and not overlooking details. WebLori Locust (born April 27, 1964) is the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron. Youve got to run to the ball! she yelled. Shes part of the sites Women in the NFL Week, which will also feature talks by Jen Welter, the first female coach in the NFL, Jennifer King, a coach with the Washington Redskins, and former Eagles cheerleader Deonna Wolf. In 2019, Lori Lightfoot took the stage in a downtown ballroom and promised to usher in one Chicago, indivisible and united for all.. SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking (R) stands at the podium to life for killing his wife, Lori Thank you very much in advance. The pair also weren't the only women to make history in Sunday's game, as referee Sarah Thomas became the first female official at the Super Bowl. WebOne Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach didnt START playing tackle football until nearly age 40: Lori Locust, the teams second-year assistant defensive-line coach. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Simply because she's qualified. History was made tonight! And people really dont know, like, the backstory or they dont know that youve coached for years and years, and its like, Oh, wow. SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking listens to the judge during Now, as the Bucs get set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday for the Lombardi Trophy, they'll become the first team in NFL history with multiple female coaches on their sideline in a Super Bowl. Among the moves for the #Bucs: The team is parting ways with assistant DL coach Lori Locust, source said. Maral Javadifar and Lori Locust Are First Women Coaches to Win a Super Bowl, The Inspiring Way Top Surfers Are Honoring Women Athletes For International Women's Day. When the group broke into separate discussions, King and Locust were only a person away. She did so again in 2018. "There's some times Sarah Thomas also made history as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl, working as the down judge. Locust and Javadifar became the first female coaches on a team to win the Super Bowl, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 Sunday night. In 2019, Lori Lightfoot took the stage in a downtown ballroom and promised to usher in one Chicago, indivisible and united for all.. in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has people he can trust around him and it doesnt matter what we look like; hes put together that staff because its people that he feels will help the team win. She knows exactly what she wants out of her players. the Murderpedia project stay alive. Head Coach Bruce Arians brought with him the most diverse staff ever seen by the league in more ways than one. She is very knowledgeable. Everyone kind of held a part in that game, and this weekend itll be cool to share the sidelines with Lo and MJ; theyre friends of mine. Your inbox approves The power Shes a grinder. Her journey, which included playing in womens semi-pro football leagues for years, serving as a police officer in her home state of North Carolina and coaching womens basketball before getting her big break interning with the Carolina Panthers in 2018 and 2019, might have been different than Locusts, but it was a similar path. Locusts team, she explained, wasnt nearly as good as Kings. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. Javadifar said that the Bucs are doing a great job offering women and other people the opportunity to show what they can do: Female #Bucs assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar on the opportunity to coach in #NFL: These opportunities are available in the right organizations. #gobucs pic.twitter.com/UPw8WuX2Jx, Both Locust and Javadifar prefer to be recognized just as coaches instead of female coaches, but are also aware of their important role in setting a path for future women in coaching and sports. Maral Javadifar, or "M.J." as she's known around the building on the other hand, may be an anomaly on strength staffs but it isn't really because she's a woman. Utah. "History was made tonight!" I was working with Terrell Suggs, Michael Pierce, Brandon Williams, she said. 1954 ~ 2018Kaysville, UT-Lori Josephine Morgan was born on August 21, 1954, in San Francisco, California, to Betty Josephine Smith and Joel Dean Perkins. And while Locust is comfortable with the attention her hiring has attracted, please dont call her a pioneer. https://t.co/SAZKRqkNph, Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) February 4, 2023. Lori Locust named Tennessee Titans' first full-time female coach. In Tampa, Locust has waded confidently into locker rooms and coaching rooms populated exclusively by men, almost none of whom has ever worked with a woman. Sources say shes heading to the #Titans, signing a deal to be a defensive assistant in Tennessee. Coach Locust said in an Instagram post, "I'm a coach who happens to be a woman, not a woman who happens to coach." TAMPA, Fla. -- Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar, Super Bowl champs. Hacking, addresses, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of Lori Hacking, But, not long after, Samantha Rapoport, the NFLs director of football development and its point person for efforts to bring more women into the game, called and asked if Locust would be interested in coaching Birmingham in the new Alliance of American Football (AAF). Six years ago, Lori Locust attended the NFL Womens Forum hoping to break into an industry she was passionate about. It was time for that door to be knocked down and allow them because they've been putting in time, and they're very, very qualified. Javadifar said, "Work hard, reach your goals, prepare to be the best version of yourself, with whatever means that it takes.". Who helped themselves and who took a misstep on the second day of workouts at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine? To keep creating SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: People gather to watch Eraldo Soares, the Though, she doesn't want to be known by that 'woman' qualifier. Before joining the team, Javadifar, known as M.J., worked as a performance physical therapist. Lori Hacking, The 30-year-old Javadifar is an assistant strength and conditioning coach, and the 56-year-old Locust is an assistant defensive line coach. Gilbert Athay, reacts after The workshops are free, but audience members are encouraged to leave a donation to tip the instructor. Andrew Locust was a defensive back for Temple football coaches Wayne Hardin and then Arians, playing alongside future NFL defensive backs Ross, Todd Bowles and Anthony Young. Buy Titans Tickets. Last year, Katie Sowers became the first woman to coach in a game. I was just talking with Joe Pendry about you. He said hed be in touch. These hours and the level of commitment that you have and theres a lot of sacrifice to get to this level and stay here.. addresses the judge during, SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 15: Mark Hacking (R) with his attorney, She then received her doctor of physical therapy degree from New York Medical College. SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: Thelma Soares, mother of murdered Lori Hacking, addresses, SALT LAKE CITY - JUNE 6: People gather to watch Eraldo Soares, the King, who works with running backs coach Randy Jordan, said many of the same things as Locust when she was hired in February. Gilbert Athay #SuperBowl #EarnedNotGiven https://t.co/betxrR8bcm, Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) February 8, 2021, Congrats to @CoachLoLoc and @Maraljavadifar - first two female coaches in the history of football to win a Super Bowl. with his attorney, Shes very detail-oriented, very organized. Super Bowl Champs! pic.twitter.com/kgUlMLuBeA. pretrial hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its just getting the opportunity. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Last year, Katie Sowers was hired to work with the San Francisco 49ers offense. @BruceArians is a legend. Javadifar has a doctorate in physical therapy, which is something not seen on many strength staffs around the league. But you would not know the difference. This didnt just happen, she said. 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 6, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Tennessee Titans are reportedly making history by adding former Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust to their defensive coaching staff.The news comes from NFL Networks Ian Rapoport, who notes that Locust will be taking a defensive assistant role on head coach Mike . Four years later, she became an assistant with the Central Penn Piranha, a mens semipro team. The Buccaneers remain the only team in the NFL with multiple women on their coaching staff.