September 2018
IN THIS ISSUE From the Athletic Director’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Men's soccer earned gold this summer in Brazil. . . . . . 4 10 Questions With Chico McClatcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 From Peruvian mountains to USA Volleyball courts in Detroit, Lauren Sanders had a busy offseason . . . . 12 For soccer's Pascale Dumesnil, a recent international experience opened her eyes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Husky football to honor Chuck Carroll. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 The Shot: Indelible Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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GOHUSKIES VOLUME 12 / ISSUE 2 / SEPTEMBER 2018
For Information on Advertising, Please Call Scott Boone at (206) 221-3071. GoHuskies Magazine is published seven times a year by Washington IMG Sports Marketing, in conjunction with the University of Washington Athletic Department.
GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE Washington IMG Sports Marketing 3910 Montlake Boulevard – Box 354070 Seattle, WA 98195
All material produced in this publication is the property of IMG College and shall not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from IMG College and the University of Washington Athletic Department. Please send all address changes to the attention of Tyee Club at University of Washington; Box 354070; 202 Graves Building; Seattle, WA 98195-4070 or by email at huskies@uw.edu. EDITOR Brian Beaky WRITERS Mason Kelley, Mark Moschetti, Pascale Dumesnil PHOTOGRAPHERS Matthew Lipsen (cover), Don Jedlovec, Jonathan Moore, Red Box Photography, UW Athletics
FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S DESK
W
e are proud of our storied traditions that span across all 22 programs here at the University of Washington. The fall season boasts some of our brightest stars on Montlake. Husky football, of course, continues to build on recent success, but the excitement and passion that you create inside Husky Stadium on a fall Saturday extends well beyond the 70,000 surrounding seats. In Alaska Airlines Arena, our volleyball team has built a national powerhouse; on the pitch at Husky Soccer Stadium, you will witness some of the greatest young talent in the country; while on the beautiful trails and courses of the Pacific Northwest, our crosscountry teams have a strong reputation for blazing the way. Our fall sports programs reflect the traditions of our world-class institution – not just relevant and cutting edge in one or two areas, but rather establishing and enhancing a rich history of greatness in all capacities. The same can be said of our fans, donors and supporters. You play an integral role in giving our wonderful student-athletes a first-class experience, so thank you for your commitment to providing a platform that allows our Huskies to receive an outstanding education, while using sport to make a positive difference in the community. In this issue, you will read about some of the ways that our student-athletes have taken advantage of the opportunities your support has given them to explore the world and enrich their person-
Jennifer Cohen
al and cultural development. I feel so fortunate to be a part of a university, and an athletic department, that believes in offering a unique setting in which to learn, compete and grow. The year ahead brings great promise for each of us as Husky supporters. We can’t wait to be out there with you cheering for our Huskies on the football field, volleyball court, soccer pitch and running trails. GO DAWGS!
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Golden Boys Washington’s Men’s Soccer Team Earned Gold For The U.S. In Brazil This Summer — But They Came Back With More Than Just A Medal PAGE 4
GoHUSKIES
BY MARK MOSCHETTI FOR GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE
T
hey came home glittering in gold. But, to the players on the Huskies' men’s soccer team, that was just a nice bonus from their trip to Brazil. As the Huskies see it, they returned from Sao Paulo with some other things from the inaugural International University Sports Federation (FISU) America Games that might ultimately prove even more significant than those shiny championship medals. They returned with an even greater level of trust in each other. “Everybody took big strides,” redshirt senior midfielder/defender Luke Hauswirth says. “We had two freshman guys come in and they outperformed expectations. I was impressed in how much our mindset was locked in. We had no doubt about anyone on the field.” After six games in 12 days, including four
they returned with a keener ability to focus on the game at hand. “We were all exhausted,” says redshirt junior goalkeeper Saif Kerawala, who earned the shutout in Washington’s 1-0 gold-medal win against host Brazil. “We ended up sitting back and playing pretty defensive, but we all bought in. Everyone was disciplined for the entire 90 minutes. For us to grind out a victory like that was great.” Perhaps most of all, those UW players and coaches returned with a renewed appreciation for what they have right here in Seattle. “Fields, facilities, language, the people around us – you realize how fortunate you are to show up and play on a nice field,” says assistant coach Richard Reece, who was in charge of the team for the last portion of the trip after head coach Jamie Clark had to leave
early for family reasons. “For me, it will be more appreciated.” Still, for all those intangibles, the Huskies returned with that most tangible of things: the gold medal. “Walking away with the gold was the cherry on top,” Clark says. “We were presented with an opportunity, and we made the very most of it. That’s the best way to show your gratitude to the alumni, donors and supporters — to make the most of every second you’re there.” Adds Hauswirth, “Our goal was definitely to win the gold, and we thought we had a pretty good shot. We had 10 days of training, we’re a very close team, we trust each other, and we’re talented.”
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PHOTOS COURTESY UW Athletics, Jim Crawford (USA Team), Alisson Frazão and Catarina Magalhães (Kaizen Movies)
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Getting The Go-Ahead FISU is the worldwide governing body of university sport. It is best known for putting on the World University Games, which take place every other year (odd-numbered years). Earlier this year, the America Games organizing group approached the Pac-12 Conference about the possibility of having one of its soccer teams participate in Brazil. But, as Clark explained, it didn’t look promising at first. “The way the rules work, it was not going to be permissible, because NCAA rules say you have to be back from your foreign trip 30 days before preseason starts,” Clark says. (The tournament concluded on July 28; Washington’s first practice was on Aug. 7.) The organizers still wanted a top Pac-12 team, which the Huskies certainly are, having gone to the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons. Clark worked to help them understand the rules, “and we basically got to a point where, if they went to the NCAA and got this deemed a U.S. national team event, then a team could travel.
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Golden Boys
“It pays to communicate,” Clark adds. Everything was now officially a "go" for their mid-July departure. “It was a unique challenge for us,” Kerawala says. “As a team, we had a couple players who had never been involved in our team, just young freshmen. We had to adjust to the atmosphere, the pitch style, the referees, other teams, other challenges … We were forced to focus on ourselves more than anything, and I think we did a great job doing that.” Added Clark, “I didn’t know what the tournament was going to be about. But, I knew it would be fun and exciting. It was a collaboration of sport and other countries, in an Olympic village situation. It was going to be a cool experience, no matter how good the games were.” The games were good. The "B" group included U.S. representative Washington, Mexico, and the No. 2 Brazil team. All three finished at 0-0-2 (UW tied No. 2 Brazil, 2-2, and Mexico, 1-1). The Huskies earned the No. 1 seed to the semifinals on the basis of fewest disciplinary cards.
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Golden Boys
After beating Uruguay, 4-0, in the semi-finals, Washington beat host Brazil, 1-0, in the championship game.
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“We were dominant in those first two games, but we gave up leads,” Clark says. “These guys felt they deserved better.” It was a way different story after that. Joey Parish scored twice, Scott Menzies and Blake Bodily added one apiece, and Washington cruised past Uruguay in the semifinals, 4-0. Then, facing host Brazil, Kyle Coffee headed home a cross in the 10th minute to give UW the 1-0 win and the gold. “That semifinal, everything truly did click,” assistant coach Reece says. “It was nice to see the freedom the guys played with after the first 30 minutes. From the coaching side, the final was very rewarding. Playing six games in a short period of time, to see them be mature enough and intelligent enough and control their surroundings, they found patience and really managed and controlled the game.” Now, it’s down to the business of the sea-
son at hand. Washington’s returning players accounted for 26 of last year’s 40 goals, led by Menzies with seven and Coffee with six. The non-conference season kicked off at home against Maryland — UW’s 1,000th alltime game — while the Pac-12 docket starts at Oregon State on Sat., Sept. 29. The heart of the schedule could be in October, with back-to-back weekends against Stanford and California, the two teams that finished ahead of UW last fall. “The Pac-12 is up in the air – every game is such difficult competition,” Kerawala says. “There are no days off.” Hauswirth believes this summer’s experience could be a boost. “I think we’ll be able to start off on a better foot,” he says. “Now, we’re at a point where expectations are higher from the get-go because we’ve had all these games together. “It gives us an advantage.”
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10 QUESTIONS WITH... HUSKIES’ WIDE RECEIVER CHICO McCLATCHER
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t’s easy to remember John Ross speeding around and through opposing defenses in 2016, as the Huskies racked up prolific offensive numbers en route to the Pac-12 Championship. What you may not recall, though, is that Ross wasn't the only undersized speedster tearing apart defenses that year — sophomore Chico McClatcher also made waves early in the season with his speed and knack for finding holes in the defense. In the Huskies' foundational win against Stanford that season, though, McClatcher injured his left knee, then tore the ACL in that same knee 12 months later. The net result is that Husky fans haven't seen McClatcher at his full potential in nearly 24 months — a streak the redshirt junior is looking forward to putting behind him this fall.
What's it like to be back on the field? “It's been too long, man. I’m grateful to be back with my teammates and able to go full-speed.”
What does it feel like to play at the greatest setting in college football? “It feels great, especially being from Washington, playing in front of your family and friends. The stadium is very loud on gamedays and us as players feed off the fans.”
What do you think it means to be an OKG? “It means taking care of your business, on and off the field.”
What is something Coach Petersen has taught you? “Have your house in order, which means taking care of your academics, relationships with other people and having your mindset right for the next day.”
What have you taken away from “Real Life Wednesdays”? “It just teaches us how to be men in the real world.”
What is it like to play in the Pac-12 Conference? “It’s great. I grew up watching this conference since I was a little boy. It’s very cool and fun to compete against the talent.”
What are your favorite things to do in the summer in Seattle? “Swim, work out, go on jet skis.”
Who are your biggest inspirations? “My mom was involved with football growing up. She was the first one to recognize my talent. I do it for her.”
Who were your favorite players growing up? “Reggie Bush. I loved the way he played and he was very exciting to watch.”
What do you think it means to be a game changer or have a game-changing moment? “It means that you’re the person that the team can rely on, and can always come through with a big play.” GoHUSKIES
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GLOBE
TROT TER
Whether building courts in Peru or dominating them in Detroit, volleyball’s
Lauren Sanders
made the most of her summer
F
BY MASON KELLEY
or Lauren Sanders, the end of the school year would typically signal an opportunity to take a break, to relax; a bit of time to escape the grind that comes after the balancing act of school and athletics. But, this year, Sanders’ summer was anything but relaxing. From the moment it began, she was on the move. First, she traveled to Peru with other Washington athletes to build a sport court for children. Then, she was off to Michigan to compete with USA Volleyball. And, finally, she returned home to help coach the Huskies’ youth volleyball camps. Looking back, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Being a student-athlete creates unique opportunities for those willing to take advantage, and that’s exactly how Sanders spent her summer. “I loved it,” she said, as she began to make the transition from a busy summer into the start of her sophomore season. “Even though I’ve been so busy, I got an amazing opportunity to go to a foreign country, learn about a new culture and experience new things.” Less than a week after the school year ended, Sanders boarded an airplane with teammate Natalie Robinson and a group of Washington athletes from a variety of sports. Outside of Robinson, Sanders didn’t know the rest of the athletes well, but that all changed through several days of hard work. When the Huskies arrived in Peru, they were greeted with hugs, kisses and signs that read “Bienvenidos A Santa Isabel.” The Washington contingent stayed in the community and,
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through a program called Courts for Kids, spent five days transforming an open patch of land into a play area for local children. “We did a lot of good work in a short amount of time, which was really unique, but it was also just so cool to be able to build relationships with athletes I’ve seen around campus, but have never really had the chance to get to know really well,” Sanders said. When Sanders was in high school, she went with her church to Nicaragua to clean up a sports facility. That was a rewarding experience. But, building a sport court from scratch? Well, that was a different kind of intense. “We poured the concrete,” she said. “We mixed everything. We leveled the field. I’d never really done anything that intensive in that short amount of time. That was a really cool experience for me.” The group was able to tour the mountains and explore some ruins while in Peru, but for Sanders, the most rewarding part of the trip was interacting with the children who came out every day to watch the sport court come to life. “They loved to see these tall, athletic people they had never seen before in their lives working in their community, trying to be a part of their culture,” Sanders said. “I just thought it was really unique how welcoming and grateful they were. “That was a really, really unique experience. It was just amazing to both live in the community and do something great for community, but also to learn about the people as a culture, while also getting to know each other.”
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And, as much as she enjoyed the cultural exchange, she was thankful for the chance to get to know athletes from other sports. “Going on that trip, we just spent so much time together, it was just so unique from what our daily life is like here at UW,” Sanders said. “I made a ton of new friends while I was there.” When Sanders returned to Seattle, she had three quick days to get ready for her second trip of the summer. “I was really busy,” she said with a laugh. Sanders quickly shifted her attention back to volleyball, as she was one of 24 athletes selected to compete for the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team. She started in Ann Arbor, Mich., for a few days of training before playing a series of matches in Detroit. “That was just a really cool experience, because there were only 24 athletes selected and we just trained really hard,” she said. “It was a lot of volleyball, a lot of competitive volleyball. “Doing any sort of USA Volleyball training is always going to be a great opportunity for a volleyball athlete because of the training and coaching, the competitiveness. That’s always a good environment to put yourself into.” So, a summer that started with a rewarding cultural experience transitioned into a challenging volleyball opportunity that led her back to Seattle with a wealth of memories. And, when she got back, she took a break, right? Not exactly. She did take two weeks to spend time with family, but then jumped right back into volleyball, this time helping with Washington’s summer camps. “Coaching camps is always an experience,” she said. With the Huskies starting the 2018 volleyball season with a lot of new faces, the team took advantage of camp season. They would spend their lunch breaks competing with and against one another during open gym sessions. And, that doesn’t include the morning workouts that helped build strength and endurance for the upcoming season. “We have a lot of new freshmen coming in, but everyone is working really hard,” Sanders said. “We put in a lot of work already this summer just getting stronger and preparing our bodies. We’ve been getting after it in open gym.”
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“It was amazing to live in the community and do something great for [them], while also learning about the people as a culture,” Sanders says of her Peruvian trip. “It was such a unique experience.” And, now that the season has arrived, Sanders said the Huskies’ work this summer has helped to build a cohesive group heading into the fall. “All of the freshmen have been looking great,” she said. “We’re all meshing together really well, so we're really excited for the season. We’ve got a lot of new faces, but a lot of competitive people joining the program.” During the season, Sanders works with her teammates to represent a program that enters each season with championship aspirations. That’s the standard the program has set over years of success at the highest level. But, being a student-athlete is about more than just wins during the season. There are unique opportunities and experiences that can be seized if an athlete wants to invest the time. Sanders did just that this summer. She sacrificed her down time for challenges that helped her grow as both a person and athlete. She made new friends and contributed to a good cause. And, if presented with another summer full of experiences, she will say yes, because the past few months have been “awesome,” she said. “That’s always something I’m going to jump on, no matter how busy I am.”
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IN HER OWN WORDS
T
hroughout elementary and middle school, soccer was central to my life. I played every lunch in our dirt field with, and against, mostly boys. When I was starting high school, I switched to a nationally ranked premier team called Carlsbad Elite. Although it was a 45-mile drive from my high school, Carlsbad Elite allowed me to play at the highest youth level and exposed me to various colleges. Fortunately, University of Washington coaches scouted my games and invited me to tour the campus on an unofficial visit. After visiting UW, it was an easy decision to commit and join the Husky family. Everyone I met made me feel at home, even though the cold and green Pacific Northwest was out of my sandy and sunny element. I was impressed with both the academic and athletic opportunities offered by this institution. Coming in as a freshman, I was extremely nervous and intimidated to fit in and compete in the prestigious Pac-12 Conference. Despite my fears, I adapted well and was able to play significant minutes, culminating with a starting position in the NCAA tournament. Overall, we had a good season and I felt excited to build upon the progress I had made. Then, going into my sophomore year, I was training hard and getting fit when I tore my hamstring. This injury impaired my summer conditioning, and affected my fitness and overall consistency. We fell short that season and I was disappointed with my own personal performance, expecting more from myself. Myself and my teammates worked feverishly through winter and spring with a common goal ti improve. Then, I partially tore my other hamstring. I was devastated to experience another setback. I was scared to repeat PAGE 18
BY PASCALE DUMESNIL
the same season, and anxious not to disappoint myself, my teammates and my coaches. In the midst of that turmoil, I had the privilege to go to Costa Rica for a community service trip with other UW athletes. We built a sports court for an underfunded community within the city of Matambù. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever been offered. We stayed with host families for 10 days and worked 12-hour days, rain and shine. We dug and picked at the plot of land to level it and then mixed and poured the concrete. The locals helped us throughout this process and their gratitude and hospitality were staggering. The people of Matambù maintained a lifestyle of “Pura Vida," which translates to “pure life." Although they do not possess many material goods, they are rich in their sense of community and love for the simplicities life has to offer. I found it difficult to communicate directly, but when I played soccer with the local boys, I felt the cross-cultural connection. Soccer had consistently connected me to people around my city, state and country, but never before across international borders. But, soccer is known to be a “universal language” and, after having this experience, I felt that to be true. While playing with the Costa Rican villagers, I realized that I was the only female to join the game. Later on, Jackie Mynarski, a UW associate athletic director, told me it was important that I had played with those boys, as it allowed little girls to see that women can excel in sports, too. That moment profoundly impacted me. I realized how privileged I was, as a woman, to play soccer at the highest level. I became so grateful to have this opportunity, realizing that it isn’t the case in a lot of other countries. In the
midst of my rehab, and my nervousness for the season ahead, I was reminded that soccer can bring more than just blood, sweat and tears. It can bring unity and social change. Through something as simple as a pick-up soccer scrimmage, I was taught how lucky I am and how I should never take advantage of the opportunities I’ve earned. Furthermore, I learned how much progress can still be made to create a more equal and inclusive environment. These lessons were compounded again just this last spring, as I traveled abroad with my teammates, this time to Japan. For the first six days, we explored its rich history, then had the chance to play soccer with Japan’s premier college team, Waseda. They were one of the best soccer teams I have ever played against. Although they were not exceptionally fast or big, they understood the game like no other. Their technique and movement were impeccable, and their prowess on the ball was truly amazing. As we spoke to members of the team through a translator, I learned that none of these phenomenal athletes had scholarships; they were entirely self-funded. Furthermore, they had to use the equipment and facilities at the discretion of the men’s soccer team. Once again, it made me appreciate how much I have as a student-athlete at UW. Throughout my career here at UW, I have learned many important lessons, enjoyed the camaraderie of traveling and gained life-long friendships with my teammates and my Husky soccer family. I have been training hard this summer to end my collegiate career with a bang, and am looking forward to leaving my mark and having a great team season. I want to thank everyone that has supported me on this journey so far, and I am certainly a Husky for life. GoHUSKIES
Women’s soccer senior PASCALE DUMESNIL lost parts of two seasons to injuries. Trips to Costa Rica and Japan, however, have opened her eyes to how lucky she — and all of her UW teammates — truly are.
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To the college football world,
CHUCK CARROLL was an unstoppable force. To Husky fans, he was a legend. Now, thanks to a collaboration between Washington and the Carroll family, his contributions and character will never be forgotten.
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GoHUSKIES
The
HUSKY
GIANT BY BRIAN BEAKY EDITOR • GOHUSKIES MAGAZINE
o legendary Stanford coach Pop Warner, Chuck Carroll was "the best halfback in the United States." To President Herbert Hoover, he was "the captain of my All-America team; the classiest piece of football machinery I have ever seen in action." In his greatest season, 1928 — for which he'd be named a first-team All-American, selected by Warner, Knute Rockne and Ted Jones — Carroll played all but six minutes of the team's six conference games, recording nearly half of the team's tackles, accounting for more than half of its passing attempts, returning punts and tearing through opposing defenses as a running back. He was so good against Stanford — a game the Huskies lost, 12-0 — that the UW players carried Carroll off the field afterward, with one scribe noting, "Carroll was so wonderful that even Stanford rooters sitting around got up and called for cheers for the Washington [back]." He was an All-American, a College Football Hall of Famer, a National Football Foundation Hall of Famer and, without question, the greatest all-around player in Washington football history.
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o Charles Carroll, Jr., though, he was just Dad. "He actually was a very gentle man, which seems like a contradiction with his strength," notes Charles, who remembers his father as an avid boater and lover of small animals. "From the newspaper accounts, you'd think maybe he was a madman — 'tearing the Bears' line apart,' 'knifing through the Stanford line,' 'a human bull,' — but he wasn't like that at all," Charles recalls. "He loved animals, and was always rescuing them and bringing them into our home — rabbits, pigeons, animals that were hit by a car, stray cats or dogs. He even potty-trained the rabbit; it had a little box in the corner. Thankfully, the pigeon stayed outside." The elder Carroll was born in Seattle in 1906, and attended Madrona Grade School and Garfield High School before enrolling at Washing-
ton in 1925, learning from the legendary George Wilson as the senior led UW to the 1926 Rose Bowl. The following year, Carroll entered the lineup at halfback, excelling for a Washington team that won eight games that season, then nine in 1927 — including a 14-0 Apple Cup victory in which Carroll recorded two-thirds of the tackles and scored both touchdowns, part of a then-record 15 touchdowns scored that season. The following year, though, was when Carroll went from merely a great halfback, to "the Husky Giant," as some reporters took to calling him. With the team weakened by attrition, Carroll took it upon himself to do whatever was needed to help the team win — rushing for a school-record 17 touchdowns (including six in one game), returning punts, taking over passing duties and serving as "a whole team unto himself" on defense, in the words of Pop Warner. "Carroll faced two of the greatest Stanford and California elevens ever, and, almost unaided, played them to a standstill," Warner remarked. "On defense, Carroll was a Herculean figure, literally half of the Washington team," wrote Oregonian editor L.H. Gregory, after the Huskies' 1928 contest with Oregon State. "He made fifty percent of the tackles, maybe sixty. When he ran with the ball, he did everything any ball carrier could have done, and when he didn't have the ball, he was blocking like an inspired demon." Oregon State won the game, 29-0, but barely anyone noticed — all they wanted to talk about was Carroll. "Faced by adversity, Carroll has forgotten all about being a star," Gregory wrote. "In so doing, he has become a greater star than ever."
rowing up on Capitol Hill, in the house his grandparents built in 1921, Charles Carroll says he was only peripherally aware of his father's football accomplishments. After graduating from UW in 1929, Chuck went to law school and served as a lawyer for several years, both in the Army (where he rose to the rank of colonel during World War II) and in Seattle, where he served as King County prosecutor for 22 years. This was the Chuck Carroll that young Charles Carroll, Jr., knew — the one who dressed in a suit and tie each day and left for work early in the morning, coming home late most nights to a home-cooked meal before reading the paper and retiring to bed. There were pictures in the study of his father with Knute Rockne and Pop Warner, and a handful of plaques and trophies scattered about the house, but his father rarely talked about his place in college football lore. Occasionally, though, the young Carroll would get a hint of the player his father had been. "One time I remember very well, the University of Washington acknowledged a football player for making a certain number of touchdowns in one season, and they said they thought that was a record," Carroll recalls. "My dad read that and said, 'That's not a record; I made 17 in one season.' And that's all he said. I didn't even know if it was true. "I'd also go with him to places and people would always come up to him and shake his hand, and would say how much they enjoyed watching him play football," Carroll adds. "So, I was aware that people ad-
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mired him for his football playing. It wasn't really until later in his life that I started reading all of these articles, and realized how great he had actually been." As a politician and civic leader, Carroll frequently gave speeches throughout the community — "he had a strong presence about him, and was very gifted with regard to his ability to command a room," his son recalls — but that same work often kept him out of the home. Charles says that it wasn't until later in his father's life — specifically, after his mother, Alyce, died, in 1995 — that the two men who shared a name finally became close. "When my mother passed away, my father was really kind of lost," Charles recalls. "So, I would go into town a couple days a week and help him run his house. I really enjoyed that. We got very close, and that gave me an opportunity to learn a lot about him." They would sit and watch Husky football games together, and Carroll would share stories about times his teeth were knocked out, his nose was broken, or his vertebrae were cracked. Carroll told the stories as if it was nothing to keep playing through his many broken bones — that's what the team needed him to do, so that's what he did. One night just months before he died, as Carroll was heading up the long flight of stairs to bed, Charles caught a glimpse of the fighter his father had always been. "I watched him walking up the stairs very, very slowly, stopping every third or fourth step. So, I asked him, 'Can I give you a hand, Dad?'" Charles recalls. "And he said, 'Absolutely not. I've been doing this all my life, and I'm going to keep doing it.' That was just his nature. He never gave up."
arlier this year, Charles received a phone call from Huskies head coach Chris Petersen. The No. 2 had been retired for more than four decades in Carroll's honor (Kasen Williams received special permission from the Carroll family to wear the number during his career in honor of his father, Aaron, who wore it prior to its official retirement) — would it be possible, Petersen wondered, to find a way to continue to honor Carroll's legacy, while also making the number available for future use? "I'll be honest, I wasn't sure at first," Charles says. "Coach Petersen was very gracious about it, though, and left the decision up to our family. I asked myself, 'What would my father want to do?' "He was always humble, but he was the most extraordinary and gifted man I have ever met," Charles continues. "I thought that maybe the best solution was to acknowledge his achievements, while surrendering the number for others to use."
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perseverance," Charles says. "Pop Warner said once that what he liked about my father was his character," he continues. "He never quit, and was very supportive of his teammates. So, to me, that's what it is — class, character, and a refusal to ever give up."
Starting in 2018, the No. 2 will be reissued each year to a player "who reflects the values of excellence and determination that Carroll was known for." Junior wide receiver Aaron Fuller will have the honor of wearing the number this season. "Husky Football is built on tradition and Chuck Carroll was the epitome of what our program is about," Petersen says. "We're grateful to the Carroll family for allowing a Husky football player to wear the No. 2 jersey and we couldn't think of a better way to honor the legacy of Chuck Carroll." So, what are the specific characteristics Charles would like to see in the Huskies' future No. 2s? "He didn't give up, that's for sure. He was always saying, 'Perseverance, perseverance,
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n 2001, just two years before he died, Chuck Carroll sat down with The Seattle Times' Blaine Newnham for what would be one of his final published interviews. The quotes reveal an individual who, at 95 years old, still had the wit and mental acuity of a much younger man — and one who never forgot the intensity of those early-century contests. "I loved it," Carroll said of playing both offense and defense. "You'd stand behind the line of scrimmage, and it was either him or you. "Baggie [head coach Enoch Bagshaw] had an expression he'd use: 'When you come out of the game, you won't know it.'" he added. "It meant you'd have been knocked unconscious." Newnham's story ends with Carroll recall-
ing a recent trip he took with his son to visit Alyce's grave. Having heard Charles describe his father's struggles in the initial years after his mother died, it's easy to imagine the two men standing side by side, bonding over memories of a wife and mother who had loved them both. "I told her, the next time I came, I'd stay," Chuck Carroll said.
huck Carroll may be gone, but his tenacity, his fighting spirit, his commitment to his teammates and his refusal to give in to any circumstance will live on in the players fortunate enough to wear his number. "Carroll has no weakness," Pop Warner said. "On defense, he is a whole team by himself. He knifed through my center trio, the best middle line I've ever had. When passing, he picks his receivers with a serenity that baffles the defense. In defeat, he plays with a spirit rarely seen in a losing team. "He is the ultimate test of class and character," Warner added. "If ever a man on the face of the Earth was a genuine All-American, [it's] this boy Carroll."
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Photographs by RED BOX PICTURES
WRECKING BALL
Greg Gaines returns for his senior season to anchor the defensive front.
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