Janice Pettyjohn became the first woman to be hired for a full-time position with Howard University’s football team. She now works as the Assistant Director of Football Operations and Director of On-Campus Recruiting.
“I’m super grateful for this position,” Pettyjohn declared to Burlington County times. “Being 22 years old and getting a full-time position at Howard fresh out of college —it’s rare. Coach (Larry) Scott saw the potential in me.”
It all started in middle school where she began managing middle school basketball teams. Then, she turned into Rancocas Valley Regional High School football team manager. From there, Pettyjohn continued working hard, eventually leading to opportunities presenting themselves.
While enrolled in Howard’s sports medicine residency program and minoring in sociology, the Bison’s football team’s former head coach offered her to be a graphic designer and equipment manager as an undergraduate. Afterwards, Pettyjohn said her named “started floating around” and she began working different jobs surrounding sports.
“…next thing I know I’m working with operations, I’m working with the color commentating people on the radio, I’m working with the (sports information) department,” Pettyjohn said. “I was always the person kind of with that mentality like that if it has to get done, I’m going to be the one that gets it done.”
Pettyjohn was given recruitment responsibilities when Scott began coaching, in which she found herself being prepared for the job she currently has.
“He gave me the same responsibilities that he was doing and little did I know that he and Coach Scott both were preparing me for this job that they wanted me to have once I graduated.”
While she currently fills a position that is mainly taken by men, Pettyjohn says that the hardest thing she deals with is being young and operating in a high-level career.
“I’m 22, about to be 23, doing what some 30 year old’s are just getting started doing,” Pettyjohn stated, “You’re finding coaches on my staff who have coached in the NFL, who have played in the NFL. Coaches, who I’m not going to necessarily say ages, but they’re over the age of 40 and 50, who have been in this game for quite some times. So, it was definitely a matter of building trust.”
