The TV viewing options in Beulah Verdell’s home as a child were limited. Her father kept the menu at nightly news broadcasts, sports, “Hee Haw” and “The Lawrence Welk Show.”

Growing up in a small town 60 miles outside Tuscaloosa, Ala., Verdell gravitated to one of those selections.

“Roll Tide,” she said.

Decades later, she still maintains her love of football in a different state and role she never dreamed of pursuing.

A 67-year-old retired nurse, Verdell just completed her 26^th season as an assistant coach on the Minneapolis North High football team.

The Polars had their bid at an undefeated season and Class 3A state championship cut short Saturday by a 36-20 loss to Annandale in the semifinals. As a special teams assistant, Verdell spent the week of preparation looking for a blocking scheme that might spring a touchdown return.

“We just want to get that one,” she said a few days before the game. “I just want to see if we can execute it all the way to the goal line.”

Her life is a testament to perseverance and the desire to try new things, especially if that involves helping kids.

Verdell relocated from Alabama in 1977 to be near her sister and raise her daughter, Rachel, who grew up to become a track and field star at Minneapolis North.

Beulah Verdell had competed in throwing events — shot put, discus, hammer and javelin — as a student at Metropolitan Community College in the early 1980s. She moved into a house across the street from North’s football stadium and would walk over to watch track practices.

One day, she asked Polars coaches if they needed help coaching throwers. The young nurse and single mom suddenly became a track coach. The upcoming season will be her 43^rd with the North girls and boys programs.

Verdell didn’t participate in track in high school, only junior college, so she was still a novice on the technical aspects when she started coaching.

“I made it a mission in my life to make sure I knew everything about throwing that I could,” she said. “I just went to clinic after clinic after clinic.”

She knew less about football, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to coach that sport, too. Verdell used to watch Polars games from the fence. She stopped former coach Rufus Bess in 1999 and asked if she could join his staff.

“I know a lot about football,” she told him.

Bess knew of Verdell from her years coaching track and gave her a chance. She spent three seasons learning the game alongside Bess and his staff. She had days when she went into the bathroom at the field to cry.

“I said, ‘This is crazy,’ ” she said. “ ‘They have their own language. What are they saying? I don’t get it.’ ”

She stuck with it and did what she always does. She observed, asked questions and studied fundamentals and strategy.

She went to coaching clinics and attended a camp hosted by former Vikings coach Mike Tice. Verdell used breaks during clinic sessions to pick the brains of other high school coaches.

“I grew to love it,” she said.

Verdell still has a letter Bess gave her in 2002 outlining her responsibilities: defensive assistant with a focus on defensive backs, special teams assistant, film breakdown, game plan coordinator and compiling stats.

“It was a great experience having Miss Beulah there,” Bess said. “She was all-in with whatever she needed to do to get better. She just fit right in. Anything she can do to try to make it a good experience for the kids is what she is about.”

Special teams became her area of expertise, though Verdell is quick to note that every assistant has a hand in decision-making in all areas.

Every Polars head coach since Bess has kept Verdell on staff, and the reasons are simple: She knows her stuff, and she is loved and respected by players.

“She’s a Polar,” said current coach Charles Adams III, who was a senior at North in 1999 when Verdell was just beginning her coaching career. “She’s been a huge staple in this community.”

Known as “Miss Beulah” and “Coach B,” Verdell credits her background as a nurse for providing tools that aided her transition to coaching. Her 40-year nursing career ended with retirement in 2022 and included stints in cancer wards, home health and psychiatry.

“[Nursing] is a fast-paced, awesome environment,” she said. “I just hate that people are sick.”

Her profession sharpened her problem-solving skills and ability to thrive both individually and in groups.

“I feel like teaching is my gift,” she said. “That’s what I bring most.”

That, and a caregiver’s spirit. She treats coaching young people as a “ministry.”

“It’s in my heart,” she said. “How can I help them? It’s making sure they understand what’s coming up in the world for them.”

That is why Miss Beulah will always have a spot on the North High staff. And she’s a smart football coach.

...

FOOTBALL ACROSS MINNESOTA

Game balls

Roman Voss: The Jackson County Central senior and Gophers commit accounted for six touchdowns — two passing, four rushing — and one interception on defense in a 38-0 win over Eden Valley-Watkins in the Class 2A semifinals. Be sure to watch this video story on Voss from Strib Varsity’s Alicia Tipcke.

Mason West: Edina’s senior QB passed for 314 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown to lead the Hornets to a come-from-behind win over Minnetonka in the Class 6A semifinals.

Jack Strand: Minnesota State Moorhead’s quarterback amassed 358 total yards and three touchdowns and became the Northern Sun conference’s all-time passing leader in yards in a win over Minnesota State Mankato.

Social shoutouts

The best things we saw on social media this week:

2025 All-Minnesota Team: Spend some time on Strib Varsity Instagram today to check out the 2025 All-Minnesota Football Team announcements. Congrats to all the student-athletes honored this year.

The D-II Dance: The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs waited to hear their name called during the Division II playoffs draw.

What’s better? The throw? Or the catch? Kellen Klinger hit Deron Russell for a 25-yard touchdown and Waseca would win again.

Walk-off: Two-point conversions don’t get much more dramatic, or cover more ground, than this one from Orono.

He said what?!

“I need to do a better job with my decision-making and accuracy. That needs to change. I need to do better. I need to be better in doing my job at a higher level.”

— Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy after another tough outing in a 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Numbers to know

8: Interceptions by Southwest Minnesota State’s Parker Knutson, tied for No. 1 in NCAA across all divisions.

9: Undefeated teams remaining in the seven classes represented at the Prep Bowl (Hills-Beaver Creek, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, Minneota, Breckenridge, Goodhue, Jackson County Central, Annandale, Waseca and Spring Lake Park).

12,134: Career passing yards by Jack Strand, a Northern Sun conference record.

Grab your popcorn

Prep Bowl, Friday and Saturday, U.S. Bank Stadium. Seven champions will be crowned this weekend. I hope every player, coach and fan enjoys every second of this experience.

• More: Here’s what you need to know about the 2025 Prep Bowl.

A FAM final word

“Thanks.”

This is the final installment of Football Across Minnesota for season No. 5. Thank you is not enough to those who allowed me to tell your stories and to those who make this column part of your weekly reading habits. Writing FAM reminds me of how many amazing stories there are in Minnesota football. My mission is to keep sharing them again next season. See you then. Cheers.

. . .

Thank you for reading Football Across Minnesota (FAM), my weekly column that tours football topics in our state from preps to pros. I appreciate feedback, so please reach out anytime. — Chip (email: anthony.scoggins@startribune.com; on X: @chipscoggins)