Pete Carroll, the longtime NFL coach currently leading the Seattle Seahawks, has had a fascinating career at the top level of football spanning over 40 years. However, behind every great coach is a strong support system, and Carroll’s wife Glena has played a big role in his story. Her age and journey with Pete make for an intriguing tale without being the main character.
Early Life and Meeting Pete
Glenn was born in 1956 in Baldwin, New York, meaning she is currently 65 years old. Not much is known about her upbringing or family background. She met Pete Carroll in the late 1970s when he was in his 20s and early in his coaching career at various college programs. Their exact meeting and dating timeline remains unknown, but they did not rush into marriage. Glena focused on establishing her career first in television production before taking the role of football wife.
Career and Family Building Phase
The couple officially married in the 1980s after Pete had gained more experience and stability in his job, taking positions in Arkansas, Indiana, and then back to Arkansas before getting his first NFL job with the New York Jets in 1994 at age 53. During this period, Glena and Pete started their family, having three children – Brennan (born 1984), Stockar (born 1986), and Mikah (born 1988). Balancing motherhood and supporting Pete’s demanding career required selflessness and teamwork from Glena.
Moving with Pete’s Coaching Career
Once Pete broke into the NFL ranks, it marked the beginning of nearly constant relocations for Glena as her husband climbed the coaching ladder. After the Jets, Pete took the head coaching position with the New England Patriots from 1997-1999. The family lived in New England during this time. From there it was onto the University of Southern California and a very successful stint leading their football team from 2001-2009 before Pete’s return to the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks in 2010. Glena embraced each new chapter, focused on the children’s stability rather than her own.
Life in Seattle
The past decade in Seattle has arguably been the most successful of Pete Carroll’s career, having built the Seahawks into a perennial playoff contender and winning the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl title in 2014. Although now spending more time on the West Coast, Glena has generally stayed out of the football spotlight and maintained privacy. However, she is always by Pete’s side during big games and post-season runs, celebrating the successes with him. The family has put down roots in the area, with the children all grown and pursuing their paths.
Balancing Family Responsibilities
Being an NFL coach’s wife undoubtedly comes with daily challenges and responsibilities beyond what most spouses take on. Glenn Carroll deserves credit for enabling Pete’s focus on his career through her commitment to holding down things at home, from the logistics of major relocations to child-rearing. Even at 65, her role continues as a behind-the-scenes support system for her husband. While Pete’s name will forever be linked to football history, Glena’s storyline remains more private – an intriguing figure content to let Pete take center stage.
Growing Up in New York
Not much is known about Glena’s childhood, but she was born and raised in Baldwin, New York, located on Long Island just east of New York City. As a girl coming of age in the 1960s and 70s, Glena no doubt developed a strong work ethic and independence that would serve her well as a football coach’s wife. Some of her formative experiences in suburban New York likely helped prepare her for all the moving and changes that would lie ahead in her life with Pete.
Meeting in College Football
Pete Carroll was cutting his teeth in the college coaching ranks in his early twenties when he presumably met Glena in the late 1970s. As a young assistant, football was no doubt Pete’s primary focus. But there was an instant attraction to Glena that made her stand out. While they took things slowly at first, it was clear to both that there was long-term potential in their relationship. Glena immersed herself in understanding Pete’s passion for the game.
Building a Life in Arkansas
After some years of dating, Pete and Glena married in Arkansas in the 1980s while he was part of the Razorbacks coaching staff. They quickly started their family in the Southern college town. It was a stable time professionally for Pete and personally for Glena to establish roots. Between pregnancies and raising early infants, she became deeply involved in the local football team’s wife community for support and friendship.
Finding Purpose in New England
When Pete transitioned to the NFL as head coach of the Patriots in 1997, it ushered in new challenges for Glena. Uprooting their life from Arkansas and moving to a more high-pressure media market in Boston took adjusting. However, being in a new environment gave Glena fresh ways to stay busy through community involvement. She embraced learning about New England culture while silently backing Pete in his job.
Leading USC Dynasty
The family’s eight years in Los Angeles, as Pete rebuilt the USC football program into a national powerhouse, brought new experiences. Living in a major city opened doors socially and introduced them to Trojan alums passionate about the team. Glenn enjoyed the amenities of SoCal living while fiercely advocating for Pete during his tenure, which ended on a high with an AP Coach of the Decade honor.
Putting Down Roots in the Pacific Northwest
Seattle has become home for the Carrolls, now in their 12th season there. They have a stable situation, unlike earlier stops, allowing Glena to fully settle in. Her low-key lifestyle suits the area’s culture. All three kids living nearby as adults means Glena can happily focus on grandkids and enjoy retired life with Pete once his coaching days conclude. Seattle provides a picturesque place to wind down their journey together.
In conclusion,
peeking behind the curtain into Pete Carroll’s personal life provides some context for how he has enjoyed such a long and decorated career leading football teams. His wife Glena has played an understated but significant part through it all. At 65 years old, she has experienced all phases of Pete’s four decades in coaching from their early days to being established in Seattle. Her quiet dedication highlights the spousal sacrifices often required for a coach to thrive at the highest level of professional sports.
