Houston Texans Quarterbacks Coach and Passing Game Coordinator Pep Hamilton will participate in a year-long leadership and networking program for minority coaches.
On Thursday, the National Coalition for Minority Football Coaches (NCMFC) announced the inaugural class of the Coalition Academy, a mentorship program pairing influential athletic directors with minority assistant football coaches.
"As part of our efforts to provide comprehensive educational opportunities and networking to minority coaches, the Academy allows our participants to build upon their on-field experiences with the off-field information necessary as they advance," NCMFC Board Member Desiree Reed-Francois said. "In the end, as in many professions, relationships and advocacy matter. The Academy will hopefully foster lifelong relationships between coaches and decision-makers. The Academy will provide minority coaches with one more tool in their belt as they seek to advance their careers and we are grateful to the mentors and to the coaches for their willingness to move college athletics forward."
The goal of the Coalition Academy is to help advance minority coaches with individual mentoring, networking opportunities and the chance to learn about "the Xs and Os of hiring." The program will equip coaches with the insight into the hiring process and intangible skills by pairing them with experienced athletic directors. The Coalition plans to set metrics and track progress in order to get data on the hiring landscape and improve the program for future participants.
Of the 12 participating coaches in the inaugural group, Hamilton and Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson are the only two NFL coaches taking part in this new initiative. To view the complete list of athletic directors and coaches in this year's Coalition Academy, click here.
