About AFCWA

The American Football Coaches' Wives Association (AFCWA) is a national organization that was formed in 1989 to work in conjunction with the American Football Coaches Association.

Our Mission is to provide camaraderie, support, information, and service to the wives of American Football Coaches. Wives of these great competitors have come together in an effort to support and serve in our own communities and across the country. Whether it is the NFL, NCAA, JUCO, NAIA or countless high school football programs around the country - we share a common bond that brings us together.​

We pride ourselves on service and have come to rely on one another for support that is not easily understood by those outside the profession. Being the wife of a football coach can be a challenging "position" to play, a challenging "helmet" to wear and a challenging life to lead. It is filled with excitement and intense emotion at every turn.

Competition abounds on the football field, but within our organization it is all about teamwork. Team identity, coaches' salaries, level of play or television exposure take a backseat to real life issues. The camaraderie erases all divisional lines that exist in the national polls and rankings.​

Meet Our President: Brittany Sloan

This is one of my favorite things about AFCWA, an organization full of women that just get it. AFCWA has allowed me to meet some of my closest friends... these women cheer with me on the mountain tops, hold me up in the valleys, and pray for me in the in-between!

In 2018, I applied for the AFCWA board to have a part in blessing other wives as this organization has blessed me. Serving AFCWA president this year will undoubtedly be one of my greatest honors!

AFCWA strives to connect with you and reach you where you are. We have over 300 members with husbands who coach at various levels from high school, to college, to the professional leagues. As no one understands this life quite like another coach's wife,  our board is here to serve you, our members, and would love to hear from you on how we can best do that! We can connect with you thorough our social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) or email me anytime!

I have seen so many connections made with our members and I encourage you to invite wives on your staff to become a member of AFCWA and attend convention with you! Personally, convention is one of my favorite times of the year! I am able to reconnect with old friends who understand my life as a football wife with young children and fill up my tank for the year ahead!

Looking forward to seeing you in Nashville in January 2024!

Wishing you the best,

Brittany Sloan
AFCWA President

Greetings ladies! My name is Brittany, and I am your AFCWA President. My coach, Brett, and I were married in 2015 and we have two sons: Tristan and Asher. Brett and I are both originally from South Carolina, but moved to the Atlanta Metro area the day after our wedding. After a year of being alone in a new city, as a new coach’s wife, I stumbled upon an AFCWA Facebook group and immediately thought, these are my people! I signed Brett up for AFCA and informed him we were going to Nashville in January, and it’s still one of my favorite decisions!

From my first convention in Nashville, I have met wives that were within an hour drive of me to wives on the other side of the country and wives from everywhere in-between.

2023-2024 Board of Directors
Trustees

Founding Mothers and Trustees

These women founded AFCWA and currently serve as trustees.

*Served as President

Patti Edwards*
Jackie Harbaugh*
Carol James
Ellie Mallory*
Donell Teaff
Dorothy Faye McClendon

​(Deceased Jan. 14, 2015)

Meet your 2023-2024 Board of Directors

This amazing group of women works hard all year to provide the AFCWA Membership with an excellent experience year after year during the annual AFCWA convention. We hope you know how much they love serving this amazing community!

Brittany Sloan

"AFCWA has made me a better woman, wife, and mom. It has given me friends all across the country, with all different experiences to lean on for advice when needed, to celebrate with on the mountaintops, to cry and pray with in the valleys."

Natasha Adams

"I joined the organization to build meaningful relationships with other wives within the football community. Also, to find a support system to help myself and other football wives!"

Nedra Malone

"I joined AFCWA because I wanted to meet wives who have successfully navigated life as a "coach’s wife."  I also wanted to help newer coach’s wives navigate the hills and valleys experienced on this road and share the 'tricks of the trade' with them."

Rebekah Provost-Emmons

"I believe in the mission of AFCWA, and I am honored be a part of an organization that brings connection. Only those who live this life can truly understand it, and I love how we lift each other up and straighten each other’s crowns."

Lindsay Elliott

"Not many understand the lifestyle we were called to live and this group supports, uplifts and encourages me daily."

Dalise Falkenstein

"I joined AFCWA to support my husband in what I knew was going to be a challenging career, and to feel supported myself... to find like minded women on this crazy adventure. Mission accomplished!"

Kallie Finley

"Since joining, I have met so many amazing women and their coaches and have formed friendships that have enriched my life in so many ways."

Gina Godding

"Our Defensive Coordinator introduced me to AFCWA, and while attending my first convention with his wife, I found AFCWA’s mission of promoting camaraderie, offering support, and the providing of information to be what I had been searching for."

Erika Holmes

"When we arrived in Nashville for my first convention, and I was welcomed by so many women no matter the size of the school or rank I knew this was a community I wanted to be apart of."

Programs

Darlene Lewis

"Lending support to and getting support from other coaches' wives benefits all of us since we are the only ones who really know what this lifestyle entails."

Emily McCants

"AFWCA means sisterhood through all seasons, not just football season. I have met some amazing women and through them I have a support system like none other through wins, loses, job changes, moves, kids, and so much more!"

Hospitality

Jonell McKenzie

"AFCWA gives me the opportunity to minister to coaches' wives all across the nation."

Olivia Raby

"I joined the AFCWA to build connections with coaches' wives that know how crazy this lifestyle can be. AFCWA means an amazing support system that is in your corner during the great seasons AND the hard, lonely seasons."

Programs
Service

Karen Ray

"Coaches wives coming together to support and encourage each other with our daily lives and our husbands' coaching careers. Of course also for the love of football."

Victoria Santiago-Coiro

"To me, AFCWA is all about locking arms with a band of women with who know exactly what this coaching life is all about and going through all the ups and downs the seasons bring TOGETHER!"

Stephanie Scott

"AFCWA is a lifeline in this roller coaster ride we call the Coach Wife life. From the moment I walked into the Hospitality Room at Convention for the first time to now, years later, I have been incredibly welcomed, served, and supported."

Are you interested in serving on the AFCWA Board of Directors?

We are now accepting applications for new board members. Please click the link above to apply.

Past Presidents and Trustees

These women served AFCWA as president and currently serve as trustees.

1989-1991

Ellie Mallory

1991-1992

Susan Keeling

1992-1993

Jackie Harbaugh

1993-1994

Pat Kane

1994-1995

Pat Edwards

1995-1996

Liz Mullins

1996-1997

LuAnn DeBerry

1997-1998

Judy Tate Simmons (Gregory)

1998-1999

Cathy Hofher

​(Deceased Nov. 30, 2021)

1999-2000

Maria Daniels

2000-2001

Donna Shaffner

2001-2002

Darlene Johnson

2002-2003

Mary Barnett

2003-2004

BeeBee Cervino

2004-2005

Nancy Cubit

2005-2006

Carol Tjeerdsma

2006-2007

Vicki Pinkel

2007-2008

Mary Ramseyer

2008-2009

Margaret Moore

2009-2010

Beth Boyd

2010-2011

Kathy Dudzinski

2011-2012

Tracee Norris

2012-2013

Holly Shealy

2013-2014

Sandy Montgomery

2014-2015

Sally Shannon

2015-2016

Katie Crowe Wood

2016-2017

Cindy Johnson

2017-2018

Jeanne Etheridge

2018-2019

Kristi Maloney

2019-2020

Mesha Mathis

2020-2021

Cynthia Griffing

2021-2022

Nicole Kaklis

Lifetime Designations

Kelly Smith

​(Lifetime Advisor)

Sandy Atkins

​(Lifetime Member)