The Huntsville City Board of Education approved Navendra Woods as the new head football coach of Lee High School. The announcement came during the Board’s work session on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
Woods brings a strong background in leadership, coaching experience, and firsthand knowledge of the game at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Most recently, he served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Huntsville High School from 2022–2026. Prior to that role, Woods worked for Gadsden City High School as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach from 2019–2022.
Woods emphasized preparation and accountability as key pillars of the program he plans to build at Lee High School.
“As the new head football coach, my goal is for us to establish a belief, culture, and mindset,” Woods said. “I want us to be tough, physical, and disciplined.”
He also has head coaching experience, having led the football program at Coosa Christian School in Gadsden from 2016–2018.
“I’m a big believer in preparation,” Woods said. “I don’t think you can practice at 50 percent during the week and then hope to play on Friday nights at 100 percent. We will start with building from the ground up by focusing on the process and attention to detail.”
In addition to his coaching résumé, Woods has a personal playing background that shapes his coaching philosophy. He played high school football at Litchfield High School in Gadsden before continuing his career at Alabama A&M University, where he played for two years under former head coach Anthony Jones.