When Thane McCormick ’27 steps onto the turf, he brings more than physical intensity. As a Co-Captain of Football, McCormick has established himself as an energetic and vocal leader, combining his passion for the game with discipline and an unwavering commitment to his teammates.
McCormick began playing football in the 10th grade before coming to Andover and repeating 11th grade. Football was already familiar to him through his family: his grandfather played center in the National Football League, and his father and older brother both played collegiately. McCormick said he derived his passion from the sport in its combination of physicality, strategy, and teamwork.
“You’re there with your teammates in this extremely physical, but also strategic sport,” said McCormick. “You’re going fully at it and testing your physical ability, and that was really fun for me.”
That competitive mentality has remained one of the main reasons McCormick continues to play. He described football as having a “warlike” quality, with players working together while simultaneously trying to anticipate and counter their opponents.
“It’s really relaxing, even after a long day of classes, to go out there and play with my teammates,” said McCormick. “I just enjoy being around the guys.”
Co-Captain Jun An ’27 portrayed McCormick as a role model for the team.
“He’s very organized. He’s very good at time management, and as a Captain, he’s always holding guys to a high standard and [wanting] them to be at their best,” said An.
An elaborated on how McCormick pushes his teammates to use their voices and feel comfortable on the field.
“He loves to get fired up and push people out of their comfort zone,” said An. “He wants guys to be vocal and come out of their shells if they’re a little quiet or nervous.”
Giovanni Rosenfeld ’27 similarly identified McCormick’s voice as one of his defining qualities as a Co-Captain. Rosenfeld described McCormick as vocal and explained how he consistently communicates with teammates about how they can improve, while also celebrating things that go well.
“It’s not just when we make mistakes, [but he keeps] motivating us, keeping us in check, but then also helping us up… whenever we do something good as a team,” said Rosenfeld.
For McCormick, leadership is rooted in principles he has learned from his father. He said his father has consistently emphasized moving forward after setbacks, doing one’s best, and treating others well. McCormick has tried to bring those lessons onto the football field, where mistakes are unavoidable, and players must quickly move on to the next play. McCormick emphasized the importance of positivity and joy in his leadership.
“Being happy while doing it… Not getting down, keeping your head up and [to] keep going,” said McCormick.
McCormick considers his understanding of football’s strategic side to be one of his biggest strengths. He compared the sport to chess, emphasizing the importance of studying film and understanding an opponent before the game begins. Working with Interim Head Coach Ernie Adams has helped McCormick become more comfortable evaluating opposing strategies.
“I’m able to look at a team and look at the film before the game and diagnose a strategy,” said McCormick. “I’m able to play more fluid[ly], anticipating what they’re going to do.”
McCormick is committed to play Division I football at Princeton University next year.
