Kari Gallup Huxford, ’01, always knew what she wanted in her life when she grew up—basketball. As the daughter of a high school basketball coach, Huxford has been involved with the sport in one way or another for most of her life. Two years ago she became only the second woman to coach high school boys’ varsity basketball in California.
After having a storybook career at BYU, including setting multiple school records, Huxford played professionally for two years in Europe. When she tore her anterior cruciate ligament during her second season, however, she returned to BYU to finish her last semester and graduate. Soon after, she was teaching high school math near San Francisco.
When the varsity basketball coach quit just one month after Huxford was hired at Aragon High School, the athletic director offered her the position. The team had had a losing record the year before Huxford took over. Since then the team has turned out two winning seasons and two playoff appearances.
As for being a woman coaching boys’ basketball, Huxford says, “It’s not been a big deal for me. When we play a team outside of the Bay Area and I introduce myself as the coach for the first time, they kind of look at me strange, but then it’s not a big deal.”
