Woodland Hills High School hires Brian Tarrant as head football coach

NORTH BRADDOCK – Jan. 18, 2023 – Woodland Hills High School is excited to introduce Brian Tarrant as the third head football coach in program history. Mr. Tarrant’s hiring was approved by the Woodland Hills School District Board of School Directors during the board’s January legislative meeting on Wednesday, January 18.

During Wednesday’s board meeting, Mr. Tarrant shared that he started his football journey as a Swissvale Packer while living in the Woodland Hills School District before his family moved to Wilkinsburg.

“It’s the history of this place that is actually really, really exciting,” Mr. Tarrant said. “I’m excited to be a positive role model and positive mentor for these kids. When I’ve been laying my head down at night thinking about the possibility of leading this program, I see the lights of the Wolvarena in my mind. I can hear the band playing. I can envision myself in a headset, leading our boys into battle. We’re going to come and play some really good football and build tremendous lives in this district.”

Mr. Tarrant comes to the district after a year of coaching college football with the California (Pa.) Vulcans. He previously played at Cal U. after graduating from Wilkinsburg High School and earned recognition as an All-PSAC West defensive back in 1999 and 2000. Prior to his year of coaching college defensive backs, Mr. Tarrant spent two decades as a high school coach in the region, including a five-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Penn Hills.

Mr. Tarrant has also previously served as an assistant coach at Northgate, Shaler, and Wilkinsburg. He also spent one year as the head coach at Wilkinsburg.

“We could not be more thrilled to have Brian Tarrant be the next leader of our Wolverines football program,” Woodland Hills School District Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna said. “His familiarity with the WPIAL, his extensive high school coaching experience, and his knowledge of the college game and the recruiting process will all work to serve and guide our student-athletes.”

Mr. Tarrant succeeds Tim Bostard, who served as head coach of the Wolverines for the last six seasons. George Novak served as the first head coach in Woodland Hills history, taking the helm when the high school formed out of a merger in 1987 until his retirement in 2016.

Mr. Tarrant will now begin the process of meeting with student-athletes to share his vision for the program and he will also begin putting together his coaching staff.