Interview: Jazmin Gamble on Her Historic Hire as Hawthorne’s Head Football Coach

A new chapter in high school football is beginning at Hawthorne High School in Southern California.

Jazmin Gamble has been named head coach of the school’s boys’ football program, marking a significant and inspiring moment for the sport in California and beyond.

Her appointment places her among a growing number of women breaking barriers in football and stepping into leadership roles once held almost exclusively by men. At Hawthorne, Gamble takes over a program looking to rebuild after a 2-8 season. The Cougars’ best finish of the last decade came in 2021, when they went 6-6.

Gamble, an All-Pro with the Los Angeles Legends of the Women’s National Football Conference, took over the Los Angeles-area program in late March.

In 2025, she was a WNFC All-Pro running back who led the league in rushing with 549 yards. She averaged 11.9 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns. On defense, she added 30 tackles and three sacks at linebacker.

Below, Coach Gamble talks with High School Football America’s Jeff Fisher about her first month on the job and the culture she is working to build at Hawthorne.