Woman football performance coach learns from coaching staff at Bucs’ National Coaching Academy
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the National Coaching Academy just one year ago, but have been working on the passion project for a very long time.
The academy helps get a foot in the door for people who want to one day coach in the NFL. Over 1,500 people around the world applied, but only 25 made the cut.
One of those candidates was high school football performance coach, Candice Davis Price.
“It’s life-changing,” Price said.
The seven days consisted of attending rookie minicamp, getting hands-on high-quality experience, sitting in position meetings, and unit meetings, and hearing and learning from current and former Bucs’ coaches.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ink deals with 2 out of 7 members of 2024 draft class
Price is just one of five females who participated in the program and she’s paving the way for women.
“I’ve been fortunate to be an athlete for a very long time and that turn was a tomboy and now I fit in a space I tell my athletes ‘ You wish you played like a girl’ because I’m able to challenge them,” she said.
Price went to USC and competed for Team USA at the 2008 World Indoor Championships. She used to challenge Heisman Trophy Winner Reggie Bush in races in college.
“When we went out for strength and conditioning it was Reggie Bush and Candice Davis. There was no divide, you were athletes, it was expectations. It was accountability. There was hustle, there was effort, there was grit. Any time I could beat Reggie. I was really feeling myself,” Price said.
Her love for the game of football started as a kid. She was raised in Ann Arbor and grew up with the seven-time Super Bowl champ, the goat — Tom Brady.
“I was there when this guy named Tom Brady. When I was in high school, so football culture, my grandfather was taking me to games when I was 7 years old — I remember — I joke with him, having these polyester shorts running up and down the field with his headset and it was just a part of my culture,” she said.
Bucs’ Antoine Winfield Jr. becomes highest-paid defensive back in NFL history: report
Now she’s developing her own culture soaking up all the information she can from the Bucs.
“When I get a text they’re (her players) like ‘Coach, what are you doing? What’s going on?’ I’m like, ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got some stuff for you when I come back,’” she continued.
“They can come in and learn from the coaches firsthand so they come in for the first time and to be able to look at game plans. Look at installs and learn from them and we get to see them as well. You never know when things may open up, but I think it’s critical at something that’s never been done before,” Bucs’ head coach Todd Bowles said.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
