Husband and wife coaching duo no longer sharing the field after 17 years at USF

Husband, wife no longer sharing USF field

Kevin O'Donnell reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Chris and Denise Schilte-Brown have coached soccer side by side for 23 years, including 17 at USF, but this year is different.

For the first time since they were married, the two no longer share the field together. Chris has taken his wife's role as USF's new head coach.

"It was a little weird." Chris Brown told FOX 13 Sports. "I think it was more weird during the spring game, the spring season. Because that's when she was gone, and you're looking around like ok, she's not here anymore. We're not doing this together anymore."

While it's been a seamless transition at the University of South Florida. It's taken some getting used to for USF's players.

"Yeah, it was definitely weird 100%," USF senior Serita Thurman said. "It was different. She has a real big personality, which we all loved. She has a really strong voice, which commands whatever room or field she's on. So it's a little bit different."

The Browns are now in charge of two of Tampa's most prominent women's soccer programs. Chris is remaining at USF looking to build on the success and his wife, Denise, is down the road, now a professional coach with the upstart Tampa Bay Sun.

"It's an opportunity to move women's soccer forward in this area," Schilte-Brown said. "To be great role models for the younger generation. To put a great product together and support one another doing it."

The two are separated on the soccer field, but not from soccer. At home, soccer is the first thing up for discussion.

"I give her my opinion whether she wants it or not," Chris laughed.

"Even last night it was like enough," Schilte-Brown said. "Like lets shut it off. So there definitely has to be that moment when we are like no more, but it's a lot of soccer in the house. Obviously, our twins play too, so it's a lot."

As of now, the two don't have a friendly bet on which of their teams will have the most wins at the end of the season, but one is going to have home bragging rights.

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