After 26 seasons as The Woodlands girls basketball coach, Glenn Flanagan isn't considering quitting the Whistle just yet. Instead, he's taking on more head coaching duties.
Mr. Flanagan currently serves as the head coach for two major sports at Woodland College. On Friday, the school named him the Beavers' new head football coach.
Flanagan, who is already the director of women's basketball coaching at Southwest Washington, has served as a defensive coordinator in football for many years under six head coaches, but was the first head football coach at the school he graduated from in 1989. Become. She has been on the coaching staff since 1995.
Flanagan is in a rare position as the head coach of two sports at the Class 2A level: football and basketball.
When the time came to replace Sean McDonald, who led The Woodlands the past two seasons, Flanagan said he did the same thing he had done during past head coaching vacancies. In other words, he assessed locally who would be suitable to put their names forward in the application process.
He realizes there are many arrows pointing toward him this time around to help the Beavers build on the feat they accomplished last fall, winning their first league title since 2007 and making it to the 2A state playoffs.
Flanagan said he is excited to not only have a strong senior class returning in 2024, but also a number of promising young classes at The Woodlands in the coming years.
That's why it was important for Flanagan to hire a coach with strong Woodland roots.
“Once you thought about it a little bit, it was a no-brainer,” he said.
“I'm Woodland. I know Woodland…I made more connections when I moved back home. I teach there. I'm involved in three sports, so I see parents everywhere. I think the connection with the people you've built relationships with is the key.”
What does he see as the biggest challenge as head football and women's basketball coach in juggling both programs, especially in back-to-back seasons where fall and winter seasons can overlap?
First of all, he said, Flanagan feels confident jumping into new territory because he already has a good foundation in place having served as an assistant and youth coach for many years with both programs.
In fact, even before he was offered the football job, the coach said he spent several early morning hours planning who would be best suited to make both programs successful.
“I think the important thing is to make sure those things are addressed,” Flanagan said.
“No matter what you do, just find someone better than you.”
Coach Flanagan said he would bring in an offensive coordinator. Another change is that he will relocate to teach physical education at Woodland High School. He currently teaches physical education at Woodland Middle School.
