Rex Norris Tabbed As New Cruiser Football Defensive Coordinator

Back in the summer of 2017 after Gavin Kralik was hired as the new head football coach at Eatonville, he organized a coaching clinic for the high school, middle school and junior Cruiser football team coaches at the high school to help align the tackling teaching between the three programs. At the time, I was one of those coaches that were invited. The person he brought in to give the clinic was the Vice President of Football Programming for Atavus Rugby & Football Training, Rex Norris.

There was a new style of rugby tackling that was made well-known by the Seattle Seahawks and their “Hawk” tackling. Improved performance and the reduction of head injuries is the goal when tackling this way. That style of tackling was broken down and turned into a curriculum by Atavus. Norris, the curriculum developer, would be the one teaching all of the coaches in attendance that day. I, along with all the other coaches there were thoroughly impressed by his teachings and wished that he would come help coach at Eatonville someday.

Well, that someday has come as Eatonville High School has just hired Norris to be their football team’s new defensive coordinator for this upcoming season.

Norris has a very lengthy football resume in his back pocket. For the past two seasons he has been the Defensive Coordinator and defensive line coach for Tahoma HS. Prior to that, he was the Head Coach at Kentwood HS from 2004-2014 where he amassed a record of 86-30. He spent 8 seasons as an assistant before becoming the Head Coach at Kentwood and as well as 3 years coaching in his home state of Texas. This upcoming season will be his 25th season coaching football.

During his time with Kentwood, aside from the winning record, Norris was part of a number of other honors. He was named head coach of the year in 2010 and 2012. Kentwood also had 14 all-state players during Norris’ time as head coach. Kentwood won the league title five times and were runners up the other six years during Norris’ tenure.

Norris has also spent time coaching various boys and girls rugby teams including the Kent Crusaders. In 1992 he helped start the first high school girl’s rugby team in the country. He has led both Boys and Girls Crusader teams to 15 state titles and placed in the top 4 at nationals 4 times.

A few local Eatonville athletes have played for the Crusaders Rugby program. The Jumper girls, Madison and McKenzie, both played and are now playing college rugby. More recently, Trevor Schier from Eatonville football as well as his sister Sadie and Celeste Chua, who are currently still playing for Norris and the Crusaders.

This is a great hire for the Cruisers.

“He is the best defensive coach I know. From a fundamental standpoint, scheme standpoint, and his ability to connect and motivate kids. He excels in all of those areas,” said Eatonville head football coach/Athletic Director Gavin Kralik.

“The thing I appreciate most about Rex is that he is a heart driven coach. He is intentional about using his role as a coach to positively impact the kids,” Kralik added.

When I posed the question to Norris as to why Eatonville, he explained

“I have known Gavin Kralik for a while now; we have exchanged ideas and shared philosophy for the past few years. I think that Gavin is talented and coaches for the right reasons. Having kept in touch we have had mutual interest in working together however I did not think that would happen because of the timing and life situations. My family and I talked about me not teaching during the fall of my daughter’s senior year so I planned to stick to that promise. However, the past 5 months have been unprecedented and circumstances around work and football have created a great opportunity for Kralik and me to work together in the spring”.

Norris does not have any plans at this time to teach in Eatonville, but did say “I have always taught where I have coached so this will be the first time for that not to be the case. If a teaching opportunity comes open in the coming year, my family and I will look forward to discussing the possibilities.”

The Cruisers are tentatively scheduled to start practice on February 17th, 2020 under the WIAA’s new modified sports season caused by the current pandemic.

The Cruisers first game is tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 5th. Opponent and location has not been determined as of yet.