(via Tampa Bay Buccaneers Communications) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today the team has added Maral Javadifar (pronounced jah-vah-dee-far) as assistant strength and conditioning coach and Lori Locust as assistant defensive line coach. Locust and Javadifar are the first full-time female coaches in franchise history and the Buccaneers now become the first NFL team with two female coaches on staff.
“I know how hard it can be to get that first opportunity to coach at the highest level of professional football,” said Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians. “Sometimes, all you need is the right organization to offer up the opportunity. The Glazer family and our general manager, Jason Licht, were extremely supportive of my decision, and I know Maral and Lori will be great additions to my coaching staff.
“I have known Lori going back to my days at Temple University and I’ve seen firsthand just how knowledgeable and passionate she is about this game. I was equally impressed with Maral’s background in performance training and physical therapy and I know she will be a valuable asset to our strength and conditioning program.”
Javadifar has most recently worked as a physical therapist at Avant Physical Therapy in Seattle, after completing her Sports Physical Therapy Residency at Virginia Commonwealth in August of 2018. Prior to her time at VCU, Javadifar worked as a physical therapist and performance trainer in Virginia, while also serving as a guest lecturer at George Mason University. A native of Queens, New York, Javadifar played basketball at Pace University in New York City. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology from Pace, Javadifar then earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from New York Medical College.
Locust joins the Buccaneers after working as the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football during the league’s inaugural season this spring. In 2018, Locust served as a defensive coaching intern for the Baltimore Ravens during the team’s training camp and, from 2017-18, worked as a defensive line/linebackers coach and co-special teams coordinator of the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the National Arena League.
A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Locust graduated from Susquehanna Township High School, where she worked as an assistant coach from 2010-2018. She also held roles as an assistant coach with the Central Penn Piranha, a semi-professional team in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, from 2013-16, the DMV Elite semi-professional team from 2016-18 and the Keystone Assault of the Women’s Football Alliance from 2017-18.
Locust began her coaching career following four years as a player in women’s semi-professional football. She attended Temple University.
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