Emily Bryan is the Head Coach of the Garfield Softball program after several years serving as an Assistant Coach. Emily was a four-year varsity softball athlete in high school and served as team captain for three years. She has multiple perspectives from within the game, having both competed in and coached teams in state-level high school tournaments.

This is my fourth year coaching at Garfield High School. I grew up in Spokane, Washington, where I played softball at Shadle Park High School and later returned to coach for one season. After high school, I made the difficult decision to hang up the cleats and pursue a college degree in the arts, moving to Italy to study. An experience that broadened my global perspective and continues to influence my leadership and coaching philosophy.

I coach because I understand firsthand how influential a coach can be in a person’s life. Athletics shaped my discipline, confidence, and leadership. I chose to coach at Garfield because I grew up in a similar ecosystem, one with complexity, talent, and potential. I understand the unique dynamics of a school like Garfield and the structure, and purpose that sport can provide within it.

Outside of softball, Emily currently serves as the Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, a line office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Her work centers on leadership, communication, and building structured programs that create opportunity and access.