Robert "Bob" Headen (born November 26, 1939) is a third generation Washingtonian and former Denver Broncos running back in the American Football League.
He retired from the District of Columbia Public School System after 40 years of services as athletics director, dean of students, teacher and coach in 2004.
Coach Headen is considered a pioneer in developing girls' basketball in D.C., as well as the architect of Washington's most dominant program.
He grew up near 17th Street and Kalorama Road Northwest in Washington, D.C and began playing sports at several boys clubs throughout the city.
While attending, he was inducted into Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
From the very beginning of his coaching career, he stressed to his players the importance of discipline, dedication, preparation and teamwork as the building blocks of success, both on the athletic field and in life.
In 1968, Headen led Cardozo High School to the first of his record eight D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association football championships.
Over four decades, he served as a teacher, football, girls softball and basketball coach, dean of students, and the Athletics Director, at one time or another.
One of the first rules Coach Headen taught his assistants was they were not to yell at a player until they knew something about him or her—like whether they had had anything to eat that day or what things were like for them at home.
"I watched him practice with the JV one day, and he threw the ball back to a kid 40 yards or so on a frozen rope," Headen said.
Headen even installed a West Coast offense to take advantage of Leftwich's passing skills.
One, Kevin Robbins, had played from 1989 to 1991 as an offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams in the NFL.
Headen didn't officially retire from football until 1999 when he replaced himself with Coach Gregory Fuller[3] who has continued the winning tradition at Woodson with six DCIAA Championships of his own as of 2016.
Despite what others thought, In 2010, Headen came out of retirement to assist Natalie Randolph, the head football coach of Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, D.C., who was believed to be the only female varsity football head coach in the nation at that time.
Some sent the Headens and the entire girls' basketball team, for national tournaments, airline tickets to express their gratitude for his unwavering dedication and commitment.
In 1997, the start of the DCIAA season was almost delayed because there was no money in the league's budget for the mandatory reconditioning of helmets and other equipment.
Former Woodson All-Met and NFL Player Orlando Brown donated enough money to cover the reconditioning.
Orlando Brown Byron Leftwich Josh Morgan Tavon Wilson Tavon Wilson Orlando Brown Coach Headen ended his career with a record of 637-98,[1] including two city title game championships, 17 district public school championships, 21 East Division titles, and a number one ranking in USA Today.
Winning six city titles during his coaching career, he is considered one of the deans of D.C. public school football.