Dave Doeren takes a stand for Payton Gibbs, a 12-year-old girl on the autism spectrum and aspiring coach
Posted October 30, 2023 10:44 p.m. EDT
Updated October 31, 2023 9:31 a.m. EDT
In the moments before the NC State-Clemson game, the captains walked out to midfield and so did Payton Gibbs. Gibbs is about half the size of Wolfpack linebacker Payton Wilson, but you could say has equal heart. Gibbs is an honorary coach for the game. The coin toss is a fitting way to start a story about a girl who has been defying odds set by others her whole life.
"We got in last night, but it's been an amazing experience," Gibbs said. "Getting fist bumps with the players and getting pictures with them and getting on the bus with the guys ... it's amazing."
Gibbs is a 12-year-old girl on the autism spectrum. She's at the game with her dad PJ Gibbs, an associate head coach and defensive coordinator for Golden Gate High School in Naples, Florida.
"It's great that she loves football as much as I do," PJ said. "She's going to be better than me someday."
You see Payton decked out in NC State gear, you might assume she's a fan, which she is, but she's also an aspiring coach.
"She's got her scout book here," PJ said as he took out a notebook labeled "Coach Gibbs."
"She's got her plays, her roster everything dialed up. Coaches have been great with her the whole time," he said.
For the last two years, Payton has been helping her dad coach on the sidelines at Golden Gate. She got into football because of her dad, but really fell in love with the numbers and stats through playing the video game "Madden."
"Since I was little I was obsessed with football," Payton said. "And now, with the stats and everything, I can help him out a lot."
The Gibbs family story caught the eye of ESPN, and they reached out to PJ.
As ESPN made inquiries with the school district this September, district leaders determined that having Payton helping her dad on the sidelines was a safety issue and the sideline should be reserved for players, coaches and media. They suggested that Payton could watch the game with her family in the press box or in a family section at field level. PJ is a teacher at Golden Gate High School and couldn't comment on the situation.
"That's not how this should go," NC State head coach Dave Doeren told WRAL. "This is a young person that has ability that has people in the community that want to support her, why wouldn't we allow that?"
Before last season, PJ reached out to Doeren on social media. Doeren invited the family to the Florida State game last October. When the school district removed Payton from the sidelines, PJ reached out to Doeren in distress.
"He was like 'Coach, I can't believe what's going on down herre. I wanted you to know about it.' and I said 'How can I help?'"
Doeren wrote a letter to multiple members in the school district, citing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a defense for Payton. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services.
"How can you tell someone they can't be on the sideline doing a thing with their father that works at the school? I asked for documentation showing me where it says they can't do that," Doeren said. "They didn't ever provide that."
WRAL reached out to the Collier County school district for confirmation of Doeren's side of the story and comment and received this statement from chief communication officer Chad Oliver:
"For a variety of reasons, including safety, sideline access is for players, coaches, credentialed media members, and those working the game in an official capacity. After being informed of Payton’s desire to learn about the coaching profession, school administrators offered Mr. Gibbs the opportunity for his daughter to sit either in the press box or the field-level family area. Even though Payton is not one of our students, we applaud opportunities for children – like what she experienced at NC State – and wish Payton well on her future endeavors."
NC State beat Clemson 24-17 with Payton in attendance. After the game she celebrated with the team on the field and posed for a picture with Payton Wilson. Doeren said he hopes shining a light on the Gibbs family story will spark a change.
Doeren's son Jacob was diagnosed on the autism spectrum at the age of three.
"We didn't know what that meant, no idea," Doeren remembered. "The doctor was telling us what he'd be able to do and not do at 3 years old, and I was like 'man you can't label my kid at 3 on the outcome of his life. There's no way.'"
Jacob is now a student at Appalachian State University studying sustainable technology and is close to finishing his applications for graduate school.
Of the Collier County school district, Doeren said, "I'm hoping they do the most right thing, and maybe by doing that it opens doors for other kids when they see this story finding hope.
"Very proud of the program for jumping on board with this whole thing, it wasn't just me. It wouldn't have happened without Boo [Corrigan] and the administration saying yes. Thankful that they saw the goodness in it and then the staff and the team really seeing that this was wrong. Payton has a dream, she needs people around her encouraging that dream."
