Wootton Introduces Spinner as New Football Coach

Former Wootton junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant Tyree Spinner was formally introduced Monday night as the school’s new varsity head coach and at 29 years of age becomes the youngest head coach in Montgomery County.

“It’s very exciting,” said Spinner. “I can’t wait to actually get my hands on the program and getting this offseason started. We have a lot of talent walking the halls that we actually need to transfer onto the field so I’m extremely excited about the new position.”

Spinner replaces Eddie Tolliver who compiled a 6-14 record during a two-year stint including a 4-6 mark last season. Since 2000, the Patriots have only had one winning season, finishing 7-4 during the 2008 campaign.

“I always set my expectations high so I don’t ever plan to lose,” said Spinner, “so I’m planning to win everything and if we lose along the way it builds character as a team so the expectation is to win. I don’t care about it being a freshman year for a coach. I expect to win.”

Spinner’s hiring has drawn rave reviews from the Wootton community and he’s a popular choice since he’s already spent a year in the program.

“We’re very excited,” said Wootton’s PTSA President Andrea Bernardo, who has two sons in the football program, Ralph and Patrick. “He brings a lot of energy. The boys are really enthusiastic about it, the parents are enthusiastic and we’re looking forward to many winning seasons.”

The 6-foot-7 Spinner was an elite student-athlete in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference during his playing days on the gridiron and the hardwood. The Virginia native was a standout two-sport star at Paul VI High in Fairfax and earned a football scholarship to the University of Virginia where his older brother, Bryson Spinner, was the Cavaliers’ quarterback.

A three-year starter in high school, Spinner earned all-league honors at tight end and defensive end.

Spinner finished his collegiate career at Morgan State where he toiled on both the football and basketball teams. Spinner and his brother both played arena football for the Maryland Maniacs of the former Indoor Football League.

Bryson is now an assistant coach at Episcopal High in Alexandria but could join his brother’s coaching staff at Wootton.

“I’m trying to get him,” said Spinner, who noted that Bryson is in line to become the next head coach at Episcopal, “but the thing is I can’t pull on him too tightly because the line will snap so I just got to kind of reel him in slowly but I think he’ll be an unbelievable addition to our program.”

Meanwhile, Tolliver, who hired Spinner to join his staff as an assistant, said he would be willing to help Spinner in the transition.

“The kids have really taken to him,” said Tolliver. “He’s going to do well on the job. He commands respect. He’s a big guy but he’s closer to their age than I am. I already told Tyree I’ll give him as much help as I can but my coaching days at Wootton are over.”

Spinner said he hopes to have a full coaching staff in place within the next month.