"Old Crimson Eagles never die. They become Mustangs."That's the motto of Tom Davis, a member of Andrew Warde High School's illustrious Class of 1973. Davis, the brother of the late Crimson Eagles' football coach Bill Davis, is the new girls' lacrosse coach at Warde this Spring. Although he starred on the gridiron while playing for his brother over a generation ago, Tom Davis is no stranger to the game of lacrosse.
"I have coached the girls in a lacrosse league the last three winters, so I have become knowledgable of the game," Davis told me via email Monday, one day after attending a lacrosse coaches' clinic in Boston. In addition, many of his players bring valuable experience after starring in other sports at Warde. "Girls that play soccer and basketball get the flow of the game very quickly as the principles of the game are similar."
Davis, pictured above leaping over a defender on the football field in a 1972 game at Warde, applied for the job and was offered the position after the previous two coaches left to devote more time to their families. Davis won't have to worry about that, since his daughter, Allie, is an integral part of the team."This will be the last time I will probably coach her in any sport," he lamented. "I have coached her since she was 10 years old, so this will be a good way to finish off our careers together. It is very tough coaching your daughter or having her play for her father. I do think it is tougher playing for your brother and (having) your brother coaching you."
The team is quite talented this year. "I have a pretty solid group of players," Davis admitted. Rachel Friedman, a member of the FCIAC championship girls' basketball team and all-FCIAC lacrosse player last year, scored 68 goals and had 23 assists last year. She will be attending Boston University (ranked ninth) to play lacrosse next year. Co-captain Allie Davis, named to the all-FCIAC East squad, scored 23 goals and had 22 assists last year. She will be attending Springfield College in the Fall and will be playing soccer and lacrosse.
Co-captain Courtney Walklet will be an attacker after playing goalie the last three years. She is a very good field player. Senior Emily Guenther is another attacker, while senior Christine Jacob, who played field hockey, will be a defender. "(It's) a real good group of kids," Davis said. "(It) should be a fun season."
Davis, seen wearing a Warde sweatshirt and standing alongside this typist and announcer during Warde girls' soccer senior night festivities last October 20, acknowledges that he'll have mixed emotions after the season ends and his daughter graduates in June. In fact, he and his daughter will be playing their home games on the field named after his late brother, Bill, who succeeded Fern Tetreau as the second football coach at Andrew Warde High School.Naturally, he is quite proud of his daughter, who won a state championship on the Warde girls' soccer team as a junior. "She has devoted a lot of time to athletics and has been very successful," he admitted. "It shows by the success (of) the teams she has played on, and also by the individual awards she has received and the attention she has gotten from numerous colleges."
Tom Davis has played an active part in his daughter's athletic success, and he still remains just as loyal to his high school. "I too have devoted a lot of time into her athletics, and my joy was seeing her succeed," he said. "Her graduating will be a very special day as again my career at Warde ends too."
If you think that father and daughter will leave Warde together, think again. Tom Davis will still be involved in Mustangs' athletics, even after his daughter graduates. "I still plan on coaching the girls lacrosse team even after she graduates," he admitted.
Yes, old Crimson Eagles never die. They just become Mustangs.
Paul
Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.
Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.
Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".
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