Powerschool GoGuardian Naviance Aimsweb Semstracker EdReflect SchoolDude Virtual Paragon Frontline Alio Service Portal

What You Didn’t Know About Woodland’s New Head Football Coach

If there was  Guinness World Record for the “World’s Youngest Water Boy” the new head Football coach of the Woodland Hawks would be the title holder.

“I tell people I got my start with football when I was six months old,” said Hawks head coach Tim Phipps. “I was a six month old water boy.”

As the son of an Ansonia Pop Warner Football Coach, Phipps has literally been around the game all his life.

“It’s a family sport, no doubt,” Phipps commented. “My father and uncles played football for Ansonia so I was destined for it.”

At the age of nine, Phipps went from being on the sidelines to being on the field. And it wasn’t exactly love at first play for young Phipps.

“I wouldn’t say I was afraid of playing, but I was intimidated a bit,” Phipps recalled.

It wasn’t until his second season that Phipps developed a thrill for the sport.

“Something stuck with me about the game after I got a better understanding of what the game was all about,” said Phipps. “It was a physical challenge but I really wanted to be apart of the team aspect.”

Just as playing football was a family tradition for Phipps, so was playing for the Ansonia Chargers. It was so important to Phipps and his brother that they protested when their parents tried to move out of the town.

“I remember my parents tried to buy land in Seymour and my brother and I threatened to run away because we wouldn’t get to play for Ansonia.” Phipps said. “Needless to say we didn’t move.”

It was in high school where football served a deeper meaning for Phipps. He noticed the way that football shaped leaders on his team.

“The captains on that team, I really admired them when I was an underclassman,” Phipps said. “They were guys my age and I was amazed at how well they led. Seeing them in that position gave me a deeper appreciation for the sport.”

It was also in high school were Phipps first got his start as a coach. He began volunteering as a Pop Warner coach, which he continued to do throughout college.

When it came time for college, Phipps knew he wanted to become a United States History teacher and wanted to keep coaching football.

Phipps started his high school coaching career as an assistant high school football coach at Ansonia High School, while he was teaching history at Harding High School.

“But I wanted to coach and teach in the same school,” said Phipps. “It was very difficult to go between the two places.”

Unfortunately for Phipps there were no coaching opportunities at Harding and no teaching opportunities at Ansonia.

In 2001 however Woodland Regional High School opened it’s doors.

“It was a stroke of luck,” said Phipps. “It was a great chance for me to coach and teach in the same place.”

Phipps has had a very accomplished career during his time as a Woodland coach.

He began as an assistant coach at Woodland. From 2002-2007 he was the head coach of the JV team. In 2003 he was named special teams coordinator. In 2004 and 2005 he was a coach for the CT-Rhode Island All Star Game. In 2006-2007 he served as a coach for the New Haven County All Star Team in the Fairfield County vs. New Haven County All Star Game. In 2008 he was named Offensive Coordinator for the Woodland Hawks. And today he was named Head Coach for the Hawks.

“I think it’s the coolest thing in the world to get to say you coach football as your job,” said Phipps.

Phipps has many new goals as he takes over the team.

“As head coach, I really want the team to be a positive representation of the school,” said Phipps. “I want people to see my players as respectful, hard workers who are committed to success. I want to keep my players passionate about the sport and instill that passion in new players as well.”

Phipps also hopes that his players will learn more on his team than just how to play the game.

“Football can change lives,” said Phipps. “I really hope that any kid who comes through my program will leave knowing that they have the confidence to face any opponent or any obstacle they may face, on the field or off of it.”

 

One thought on “What You Didn’t Know About Woodland’s New Head Football Coach

  1. paulgeary June 17, 2014 at 3:32 pm

    Tim Phipps – absolute class act.

Comments are closed.