Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  Beth Buglione is being hailed as the first female high school football coach in Colorado, but she says that was not her goal. She says she may be breaking down stereotypes, but what comes first is that the players have an awesome experience.

"I am not afraid of walking into a challenging situation and I am sure when I work hard and show I know what I am doing, I will be accepted," says coach Beth Buglione.

The new Nederland Panther football coach is ready to take over the team that was crushed last year when they learned that former coach Aaron Jones would not have his contract renewed. The team staged a walkout at the school and a protest stroll through town, and even though athletic director Emmy Murphy has taken a position at Centennial High School, principal Carrie Yantzer stood firm in the decision to not bring Jones back.

Coach Buglione is well aware of the situation and is taking a positive stance at healing the wounds opened during last year's controversy. She is not afraid of walking into challenging situations and looks forward to working with the team.

Last Thursday, she met with eight NHS athletes who are ready to play for her and she anticipates more will come on board in the next couple of weeks.

Buglione grew up in Albany, Oregon, the middle child between two brothers and a father who was passionate about football. When she was 10 years old she became obsessed with photography, but over the years, she became fascinated with football.

"I remember being amazed by the sport, by the idea of that many people working together as a team. I loved the physicality of it and wondered what it was like to tackle and be tackled. It's like physical chess, coming up with a strategy and staying one step ahead of your opponent."

But females were not allowed to play football back then so she joined the volleyball and softball team and pursued photography, working on the school newspaper and yearbook. She was an avid supporter of the West Albany Bulldogs, her high school football team who were state contenders.

Buglione attended the University of Oregon, working towards a degree in journalism. She also found work in corporate communication.

And then she saw a four-inch story in a local newspaper asking for women who would be interested in joining a women's football team.

"I went to the tryouts, walked in and said that I was their quarterback. I had never practiced throwing and knew a little about what was expected of me and I got the job."

An Independent Women's team out of Texas was looking for teams in the Northwest and they brought in 35 players in the first year. Buglione wanted to be in good shape for the season and hired a trainer, knowing that when you play the quarterback position you had to be physically ready. She watched videos wanting to understand the concept, focusing on her footwork, wanting to develop muscle memory, making her moves second nature.

In their first game, the offensive line was there; she was never touched. The team was on fire.

"We were the Corvallis Pride and we were athletes. It took over a year to prepare for that first game against the Eugene Edge. It was 2001 and we literally could pick who we wanted to score. The opponents might have been able to catch me, but I was smarter. I used my intellect rather than run away, snapping the ball on 'two,' getting them to jump and getting five free yards. That gave me great pleasure. I was very competitive, having grown up with two brothers."

Buglione played for the next three years, starting at age 38, traveling to Chicago and Atlanta, ultimately making the final four in the nation and then she coached the team for five years. However, there wasn't enough interest to keep the team going. By that time, Buglione was feeling pretty beat up.

In the next 15 years, Buglione coached middle school, high school and men's nine-man teams. She even worked as a ref for one season, becoming the Rookie Ref of the Year.

"I felt it was important to develop myself, understand their mentality."

Buglione says she is a positive coach, she doesn't yell at the kids, says that is old school.

"I appreciate that the kids were unhappy to learn that Aaron was leaving, they were dedicated to him. I would like to have the same treatment. I will have to walk in very tall shoes."

Assistant coach Jake Metzger will be on board to make the transition smoother.

Buglione moved from Oregon in May, finding a place in Firestone. She says she wanted to leave Oregon after living there all of her life. She was seeking a way to combine her two passions, football and photography and Nederland is the place that offered her the best fit.

"It is just us, getting a brotherhood created. I would also like to see some girls come out. During camp, I will be able to determine what direction we want to go. I want to develop the offense that suits them and put them in the best positions."

The 2017 team will continue to be 8-man, independent and coach Buglione says she plans to take this season and make the team ready for 11-man, Division I football in 2018.

On her first trip up Boulder Canyon, she says she saw the Moose crossing warning sign and "That sold me on Nederland. This is my school"

Buglione is a self-described happy, easy going, confident, accepting person who can also be strict; in that, the team is going to have fun, but it will also work hard.

"If football was easy, everyone would play. Any team I coach, will learn about sportsmanship. At the end of the day, we are going to be good human beings, model good behavior and make these young athletes into great citizens. I want the best of these kids. A good coach will be invited to their wedding."

(Originally published in the July 22, 2017 print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)