SPECIAL COACH: Hard to imagine the reception a woman might get
in 1939 as a high school football coach – especially one who’s a
dance instructor.[neWLine]

Such was the case when Miriam Kreinson joined the Bradford Owls,
and became known as the “”Pavlova of the Gridiron.””[neWLine]

We started to tell you this story yesterday, quoting from an
article in the Feb. 11, 1940, edition of the Philadelphia Record.
The paper said Miriam’s work with the Bradford High team was the
first appearance of a woman coach on any gridiron.[neWLine]

We conclude her story today:[neWLine]

“”The next step was to get her ideas over to the school. This
was much more difficult than she had imagined although she was
ready for a struggle. The principal of the high school shook his
head, and Head Coach Bob Pflug, a former all-American, was equally
discouraging. …[neWLine]

“”Finally, the school officials and Pflug were won over, but
then antagonism developed from an unexpected quarter. The football
players themselves did not want to take dancing lessons. They
muttered something about ‘sissies’ and what was football coming to
anyhow and perhaps they ought to bring rehearsal shorts to school
instead of cleated shoes and shoulder guards.[neWLine]

“”Miss Kreinson told them she was not strictly a dancing teacher
in this case, but a combination football coach-dance instructor.
She clinched her argument when she pointed out slyly that the
football season only lasted two months and that after it was over,
the tap-dancing ability newly gained would come in very handy in a
social way with the belles of Bradford.[neWLine]

“”Eventually, all dissenting factions were reconciled and thus
began one of the strangest football practice sessions since the
game became an American institution. Coach Pflug ran the boys
through their fundamentals, taught them blocking and tackling,
passing, kicking and running while his demure assistant looked on.
Then he turned them over to her. …[neWLine]

“”She taught them stretching, then ballet lunges and kicks. She
had the whole sheepish lot of them pirouette like any dainty
ballerina and assume the conventionalized poses of the ballet.
…[neWLine]

“”Now Miss Kreinson is a fixture at Bradford. Spring and winter,
she teaches a dancing class in the school as well as in the town.
But comes the falling of the leaves and she dons her practice
clothes – shorts and a sweatshirt – and goes out to groom the
gridiron heroes, a duly accredited coach.””