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Jouscelyn Mayfield and DuSable’s Konesha Rhea are the first two Black female head football coaches in Public League history, and just the second and third female coaches overall.
Rhea, in her second season at DuSable, and Mayfield, in her first year at Fenger, are the friendliest of rivals after coming up through the youth coaching ranks on the South Side. They hugged before the game, after a coin toss conducted by a female official, Etta McChristian. And they hugged after Fenger rolled to a dominating 50-0 victory.
The two coaches took time out from their pregame routine to do interviews because, well, they were the story.
“A horrible loss, but it’s a win for the sport, a win for girls and women looking to coach football. It means so much to know that the person you’re going against is your sister,” Rhea said. “My sister and I are making history together."
Mayfield said the magnitude of the day didn’t really register till the Star Spangled Banner was playing just before kickoff. “That’s when it really hit me,” she said. “I was saying, ‘Wow, it’s me. God picked me and put me in his favor.’
To share the moment with Rhea meant everything to Mayfield.
“It’s an honor,” Mayfield said. “She’s a legend. Me? I’m just me, but she’s the one that first broke down those barriers.”
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