Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2018 | Page 10

AT H L E T I C S
Freshman football: setting a foundation for excellence
“
If you catch it, run!” Head
freshman football coach, Jack
Morrison '72's voice booms across
the fi eld as the Th ornton Academy
freshman football team lines up
to receive the opening kickoff
from the Kennebunk Rams. Th is
was their fi rst game of the season
and they would go on to win by
a dominating score of 34-0 and
continue the tradition of excellence
that marks this football feeder
program.
For hundreds of freshman boys
over more than 40 years, their
Th ornton Academy experience
began with football practice in the
dog days of August. Before they
even enter a classroom, these boys
are introduced to the Trojan spirit
by the freshman football coaches
who view their job as not only
instructing the basics of off ense,
defense, and special teams, but
also helping the boys grow into
adolescents who are respectful,
responsible, and invested in their
school community.
As he paces the sidelines, Morrison
enters his 41st season as freshman
football coach. Th is kind of legacy
is rare in high school sports
and unheard of in a sub-varsity
program. His commitment to
preparing freshmen for competition
at the varsity level is one important
reason why the Th ornton Academy
varsity football team has performed
at such a competitive level for so
many years.
Jack Morrison '72 enters his
41st year in 2018.
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Story by Katy Nicketakis · Photos by Katy Nicketakis
“You can’t have a revolving door
of coaching and have the program
be successful,” remarked Assistant
Coach Greg Paradis '91.
Morrison views his role as much
more than instructing the players
in the basics of football. He sees
the freshman football team as a
way to prepare the boys for the
challenges of high school and
develop their character in order to
become successful adults. He gives
them tips on how to be respectful
during the fi rst few weeks of the
new school year. No matter how
many times he has gone through
this, he still recognizes the jitters
that aff ect every freshman entering
a large high school. Morrison and
the other coaches have strict rules