Robert Headen

Robert "Bob" Headen (born November 26, 1939) is a third generation Washingtonian and former Denver Broncos running back in the American Football League. He retired from the District of Columbia Public School System after 40 years of services as athletics director, dean of students, teacher and coach in 2004. Coach Headen is considered a pioneer in developing girls' basketball in D.C., as well as the architect of Washington's most dominant program. He took over as Howard D. Woodson High School's girls basketball coach two years after the passage of Title IX—legislation that barred gender discrimination at schools that receive federal funds.

Headen is the winningest Football Coach in the history of D.C. public schools. Eighteen of his former players have been drafted in the National Football League (NFL). On June 26, 1996, he was the first African-American and the first Washington D.C. inductee into the National High School Coaches Association.

Personal life

Robert Headen was an only child to Ethel, a housekeeper at a downtown hotel. He grew up near 17th Street and Kalorama Road Northwest in Washington, D.C and began playing sports at several boys clubs throughout the city. He developed his football, basketball and baseball skills on the playground. By his senior year at Cardozo High School, he was a three sport starter. Headen played for coach Sal Hall. Upon graduating, he went on to star in both football and basketball at St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was there he earned his B.S. degree in Health and Physical Education. While attending, he was inducted into Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He was also selected All-CIAA Running Back of the Year in 1962. Headen spent the 1963 preseason with the Denver Broncos as a defensive back before returning to Washington.

Coach Headen resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Gail. He has 2 children and 3 step-children, three of whom graduated from D.C. public schools, and two grandchildren.

Coaching career

Cardozo High School

Varsity Football Headen accepted a teaching assignment at Cardozo in 1964, his alma mater. From the very beginning of his coaching career, he stressed to his players the importance of discipline, dedication, preparation and teamwork as the building blocks of success, both on the athletic field and in life. In 1968, Headen led Cardozo High School to the first of his record eight D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association football championships.

Howard D. Woodson High School After three seasons at Cardozo, Headen left coaching for a few months before taking a teaching job at H.D. Woodson in 1972. Over four decades, he served as a teacher, football, girls softball and basketball coach, dean of students, and the Athletics Director, at one time or another. Coming on board as an assistant football coach at Woodson under head coach John Thompson (not the former Georgetown basketball coach), on the second day of practice, Headen arrived to find Thompson had taken another job. Headen became H.D. Woodson's second coach in as many days and stayed from 1972 until his retirement from football in 1999. He remained the girls' basketball coach until his official retirement in 2004. As for football, John Thompson never played a league game before his departure from Woodson, therefore Coach Headen is given the unique distinction of being the first head coach of the H.D. Woodson football team.

Varsity Football Coach Headen retired in 1999 as H.D. Woodson's head football coach. After winning seven city football championships, Headen's vigorous work along the sideline was a trademark for H.D. Woodson. He guided his teams to an unprecedented eight D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association championships, one with Cardozo and seven with Woodson. Coach Headen cut two sets of uniform pants in half and sewed them together. He also noticed Smith ate lunch alone in a corner of the cafeteria. Smith was too quiet and no one was taking the time to get to know him. Headen got two female students go talk to him during lunch, other students began to quickly followed suit.

Byron Leftwich Coach Headen was an advocate ball runner, until he recognized Byron Leftwich's ability to throw the ball. "I watched him practice with the JV one day, and he threw the ball back to a kid 40 yards or so on a frozen rope," Headen said. "That's the day I asked him to play on the varsity." After pleading with Leftwich to play varsity, because Leftwich didn't want to overshadow the more experienced players ahead of him and being content with a receiver position, Leftwich became the most celebrated quarterback in HD Woodson's history. Headen even installed a West Coast offense to take advantage of Leftwich's passing skills. Before taking on the job, Randolph was a special-teams MVP for the semipro D.C. Divas and under Coach Headen, had formally coached wide receivers at H.D. Woodson during the 2006-2007 season. Switching roles, head coach Randolph and assistant Coach Headen, within one year, took Coolidge from 4-7, all the way to the championship game on November 24, 2011, Coolidge lost the DCIAA Turkey Bowl to Dunbar High School.

Alumni Loyalty Several former NFL players who played under Coach Headen and Coach Gregory Fuller have provided financial support to Woodson, including funding for championship rings and equipment. Some players provided airline tickets for the Headens and the girls' basketball team for national tournaments. Former players maintain contact with Coach Headen. The Headens permitted players to call collect, which resulted in high costs.

Orlando Brown In 1997, the start of the DCIAA season was almost delayed because there was no money in the league's budget for the mandatory reconditioning of helmets and other equipment. Woodson was the only team not affected by the crisis. Former Woodson All-Met and NFL Player Orlando Brown donated enough money to cover the reconditioning.

Coach of the Year National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year District II Football 1983, 2002 Girls Basketball 1979, 1982, 1988, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2002 District of Columbia Inter-Athletic Association Coach of the Year Football 1995 Girls Basketball 2001 DC Coaches Association Coach of the Year Football 1987, 1993, 1994 Girls Basketball 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 Pigskin Club Washington DC "Coach of the Year" - Football 1973, 1995 Champion Products, Inc. Football Coach of the Year 1983 National High School Coaches Association Girls Basketball - Coach of the Year 2005 National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year Football 2002 Girls Basketball 2005 Hall of Fame Inductions National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame - First African-American & First Washington DC inductee, June 26, 1996 St. Augustine College Hall of Fame Induction, March 2, 2002 District of Columbia Coaches Association, June 11, 2005 Washington DC Hall of Fame for Sports Induction, April 2006 Cardozo All-Met hall of Fame 2010 DC Retired Coaches Association Hall of Fame, 2005 DCSAA Inaugural Hall of Fame, June 2017 Accomplishments Women's Basketball Coaches Association 500 Wins Club, 1998 National Register's In Executive and Professionals - Who's Who in Education Varsity Football Team won the most DCIAA Championships since its conception Varsity Girls Basketball Team won the most DCIAA Championships since its conception Only coach that won Football Championships in both, East and West, Divisions in District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association (DCIAA) Greater Washington Urban League Honoree 1998 Coaching Appearances Army All American Football Bowl, 2003 Outstanding Contribution to Athletics and Community, 1995 U.S. Army All-Star Football Bowl, 2004 National High School All-Start Football Game, Santonto, TX, 1995