The
Whittier Miscellany
March 2023 • Wilmington Friends School’s Community Newspaper • Wilmington, DE
Three Cheers for the Quakers!
This season has been the culmination of “I had an alumni from the 80s tell me Mitchell Brenner ‘24, Staff Writer the Seniors’ entire football careers, and for a few that being in that stadium and watching that their entire lives up until this point. Offensive game was a top 5 moment in his life,” Robert “If it was easy, everybody would do it.” and defensive lineman and team captain, Colin Tattersall said, recalling what an alumni had This is what head coach Robert Tattersall said at Harron ‘23 had been determined to win a state said to him the night of the state championship. the end of most practices this season. The Quak- championship before he even began his upper Tattersall also recalled how he received hundreds ers ended the 2022 season with a 13-0 record, school career. “Seeing my brother’s dream [of of letters, texts and emails from recent graduates, bringing home a State Championship trophy for winning a state championship] come crashing graduates all the way back to the 60s, alumni that the second time ever, the first being in 1984 with down in front of my eyes because of injuries left lived far away and even from people unaffiliated the current coach’s father, Bob Tattersall as the me feeling empty inside - ever head coach. since that game I was deterThe name Tattersall is widely known mined to finish the job.” “The across Delaware high school sports, specifically sense of family in the room high school football. Bob Tattersall started as was what always brought me the head coach of Wilmington Friends’ football to put the pads on everyday, program in 1968 and remained the head coach ” said TE and D-Lineman Ish for 54 years, until the 2022 season where his son, Dobson ‘23. “We knew what Robert Tattersall, succeeded him. Robert Tatwe were capable of and we tersall grew up with Friends football, starting as successfully accomplished a team manager in 1st grade and moving up to those goals,” said FB, LB and play JV and Varsity in 8th grade, where he played captain Paul Beardell ‘23. “My under his father as a member of the class of favorite part is the practices. 1991. In 2022, Coach Tattersalls’ two sons, Robby Practices are longer and much Tattersall ‘23 and Ryan Tattersall ‘25, started on more frequent then actual the team, with Robby at quarterback and outside games, so it would make sense linebacker and Ryan at safety. to say that the majority of time spent with the with Friends, congratulating the team and saying “No matter how old I was, Friends foot- team is at practice,” said O and D-Lineman Phil how proud they were of what was accomplished. ball has always been something that has been Crock ‘23. “The coaches have taught us not just There was even a heartfelt letter written directly a part of me before I even stepped foot on the how to be football players but also how to be to the 2022 team by a former friends football field with the blue helmet on,” Robby said. Just gentlemen and how to work as a team,” added player congratulating the team and saying how like their father, Robby and Ryan both grew up O-Lineman Matthew Malone ‘23. much this meant for alumni and everyone else around the Friends football program and under“Perseverance is the most important involved in the Friends community. stood what it meant to hold the last name Tatthing I have learned throughout my time at Although the 2022 Quaker Football tersall. “Being coached by my father and grand- Friends. I remember being called on to start team will never put on the blue jerseys and play father is more difficult because they hold you sophomore year. I got knocked around and all together again, what was accomplished this to such high standards. There is more pressure beaten nearly every play, but I couldn’t just give season will never be forgotten. And even when because I am the coach’s son, so if I start and do up and let it happen, since if I did that my team- the whole team has graduated and headed down not perform then people might think I am only mates might get hurt. This commitment allowed their own paths of life, they will always be a playing because of my last name,” Ryan said. The me to improve myself to where I was now knock- family united by what was done this year. Future 2022 State Championship means so much to so ing people around,” said O and D-Lineman Jack Friends teams won’t just be watching the 84’ many people but it holds the most importance to Hebert ‘23. “The most meaningful part of Quak- highlight tape during preseason - they will be the Tattersall family, with Rob Tattersall describ- er football is the whole 4 year process. I started watching the 22’ tape as well. The importance of ing it as “emotional beyond explanation”. as a boy and grew into the man I am today,” said this year of football for Friends alumni and other After an impressive 10-2 record in the WR and LB Hudson Zawadzkas ‘23. “It really people related to the program probably hasn’t 2021 season, the Friends football team had high means the world to me that we got to not just set in for most members of the team, and likely expectations heading into the 2022 season. The win but play for each other these past four years won’t for a while too, but that will be achieved in program embraced said expectations, boasting a and to see how much the football program has due time. Put best by Bob Tattersall, “That leaves 13-0 record and state championship title, though shaped us into the people we are is amazing,” just one thing left to say. Three Cheers for the the season wasn’t without its challenges. said QB, LB and Captain Robby Tattersall ‘23. Quakers!”