Every summer, high schools across America begin their summer football training. Long, brutal days in the harsh sun hardboil boys chomping at the bit for the beautiful Grid- iron. Coaches meanwhile bark orders at them in their short-shorts and new balances. This year, Annie Wright was no different. Athletic Director and Head Coach Mike Finch has pioneered Annie Wright Gators Football, creating a well-disciplined and talented program, with energetic and enthusiastic players, all led by experienced coaches.
The process of creating the first ever Annie Wright Upper School football team was not a short one, with Coach Finch expressing the amount of thought and planning that went into the creation of the team. “We have looked at offering a 14th sport option for several years now. Football made the most sense for a variety of reasons.” Said Finch “First, it gave USB student-athletes a 3rd option for the Fall to better align with the offerings in the USG. There are now 3 offerings in the Fall season for both divisions. Another reason is due to the fact that our Nisqually League already offers football so there’s a platform for competition that other sports we looked into did not have.”
Coach Finch is very experienced, having previously been the head coach of the Charles Wright football program and playing Defensive Back at Harvard. Proving him- self as a coach and athletic director. He was a former champion of the gridiron himself, it becomes obvious why Annie Wright would have a football team.”It’s always an honor
to represent Annie Wright Schools as a head coach, but honestly, this process has felt extremely natural. We started flag football programs in the Lower School in 2016 and those teams have worked their way into the Middle School in recent years. Two years ago, we started the first ever tackle football program at AWS within the Middle School and we are just now seeing tackle football develop into the Upper School level. Of the 25 play- ers on our current US Football roster, 11 of them played in 7th and/or 8th grade for AWS.” Said Coach Finch.
When the idea for an Annie Wright Gators football program was proposed, it was met with skepticism. Most felt that while it may be possible, a team would be unskilled and un- organized, resulting in an embarrassing program and a footnote in Annie Wright’s histo- ry. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Coach Finch has cultivated a proud program with each player expressing their gratitude for being able to be part of such a milestone for Annie Wright’s Sports Department.
“It feels exciting getting to make history” – Ian Willey ’27 #10
“I want to leave a legacy of excellence, hopefully this is the start of a dominant football program for years to come” – TJ Marshall ’24 #11
“I joined because I’ve grown up watching football and had lots of fun on the Middle School football team.” – Eli Weir ’27 #13
The excitement among the players is electric every game, with roaring chants and passionate halftime locker room speeches. The energy that the Gators have is unmatched. Coach Finches goal is to promote the love of football and the brotherhood it can create to motivate future athletes at Annie Wright “I want to ensure that football is in perfect alignment with all other sport offerings at Annie Wright. Our goal is simply to offer our student-athletes a wonderful experience through sport. Future football teams should real- ize that they are a part of a larger community of students who all support one another. Future teams should continue to lift up their peers, attend art performances, cheer loudly at USG Volleyball and Soccer matches, and give their all to their community.” – Coach Finch
The Annie Wright football team, led by captains Jack Cushman ’25 #54 and Tremendous Lipscomb ’25 #63, has high aspirations for future seasons. The Gators were a JV team this year, (besides their final game in La Conner, which was a varsity game) and will be a full Varsity team next year. The ultimate goal is to get as many motivated and excited team players as possible. The team culture is one of humor and unity, making a fun and thrilling experience for all who join the team. Go Gators!