First Black head football coach in Lee County reflects on career

When Larry Gary got his first head coaching job in 1994, being the first Black head football coach in Lee County wasn’t even on his mind.

“It didn’t dawn on me. I just was thinking I was ready to be a head football coach, taking on the challenge,” said Larry Gary, the first Black head football coach in Lee County.

Gary took over the Lehigh Lightning football program 30 years ago. 

His success as a head coach paved the way for future Black coaches in southwest Florida.

“I’m so proud that they have taken the opportunity to just say I can do it, and let’s see what the challenges are,” said Gary.

Gary retired as head coach at Cape Coral in 2017. He didn’t stay off the gridiron long. 

In 2022, Gary came out of retirement to mentor a former player who wanted to become a head coach. 

Isaac Harvin played under Gary at Cypress Lake before he graduated from Cape Coral as a standout defensive back in 1995. 

“Coach Harvin was so talented. We did more cheering and rooting him on than coaching him. He was like Forrest Gump: just run, Forrest, run. He had speed to burn,” said Gary.

Harvin played at Kansas State before returning to Lee County to coach. 

He didn’t plan on doing anything more than assistant coaching, but when his alma mater needed a leader, he put his name in the hat.

“They said, ‘We got a good idea. Why don’t you let Gary mentor you for two years and see how you do since you’ve never been a head coach and see how it goes, and he’s gonna pretty much let you run the operation,'” said Harvin.

For Harvin, the opportunity to learn hands-on from one of his mentors was a no-brainer.

“I’ve got three sisters, a handful of nephews and nieces. He has been in all our lives and has coached all of us, which is crazy, so he’s like my uncle, mentor, brother, all that… I was like, man, let’s do it. Here we go,” said Harvin.

After two seasons as interim and associate head coach, Harvin is officially at the helm of the Seahawks. Gary is confident that Harvin is ready.

“I’m very proud of him, and we’ve talked before this came about, and I said your only enemy is you. If you want to do something, you have to go out there and do it,” said Gary.

And that’s exactly what Harvin did.

“At first, I was denying myself, always saying I don’t want to be a head coach. I’m just going to be an assistant cause there’s too many problems, too many things you have to deal with. But now that I’m taking this challenge on, it’s making me feel so proud of myself for stepping out there in faith,” said Harvin.

That’s the message Gary has worked to instill in every player he has coached: take on the challenge.

Coach Gary isn’t going too far from the gridiron. He will stay on staff as a physical education teacher at Cape Coral.