One member of the Army coaching staff is fighting something much bigger than the game of football.
On Tuesday, in a story posted to Army’s official football website, assistant coach Tucker Waugh acknowledged that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. According to the posting, Waugh has been battling the insidious, potentially debilitating disease “for a few years now.”
“When you see me, know that my left hand may shake, but my resolve is steadfast to attack this condition with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind,” Waugh was quoted as saying.
One of the more poignant quotes came from the coach’s wife.
“I think his Parkinson’s diagnosis has only made his work ethic even stronger,” Jen Waugh said. “I feel as though he wants to prove to himself that this disease is not going to beat him. He’s very determined that it’s not going to take away from how he coaches and how he does his job. It makes me so happy to see that his passion for coaching has not changed, but rather increased, because of Parkinson’s.”
Waugh has spent 16 seasons in two separate stints as an assistant at West Point, the first coming from 2000-04 and then, after two years at Stanford, another from 2007 to the present. Entering his 17th season at the military academy, Waugh will continue on with his duties as slotbacks coach and recruiting coordinator.
We're in the fight with you Coach Waugh! #GoArmy pic.twitter.com/OHZysD3fmb
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) April 10, 2018
