DID YOU KNOW?
Tacoma’s story spans more than two centuries from the time Captain George Vancouver anchored off Tacoma’s north shore in 1792.
In 1870, Tacoma’s natural deep-water port became an attraction that the Northern Pacific Railroad couldn’t pass up, when it made Tacoma a stop on its transcontinental line.
Old Tacoma and New Tacoma merged in 1884 and incorporated as Tacoma. By 1890, the population reached 36,000 people.
Tacoma is home to the Port of Tacoma, the seventh-largest container port in the United States, and it is within 20 miles of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and 36 miles of the city of Seattle.
Tyler Francis,
Lower School Athletics Staff
Tyler Francis teaches physical education in the Lower and Middle Schools. “I particularly enjoy playing soccer with Beginning School, kindergarten and first grade students,” he says. “Everyone can kick, run, shoot and score. Their dribbling isn’t always the prettiest, but every one of them can be successful.”
Francis graduated from Pacific Lutheran University. He joined the faculty of Charles Wright full time in 1994. He also coaches basketball and baseball. During his tenure he has also coached football and soccer. Francis hopes his students will remember him as a calm person they could always find when they need to talk something out. Over the years he has enjoyed watching students he taught in Beginning School grow and develop over the years into upper schoolers.
In 2008 Francis coached the varsity boys’ basketball team to the school’s first basketball state championship. At the annual auction, one team member’s parents bought a jersey from the game signed by every member of the team. They immediately gave that framed jersey to Francis. “They didn’t have to do that,” says Francis. “But that team just sort of became like a family. I think those boys will always remember me as the guy that was sick the entire week of the state tournament and had to keep taking acid reducers. The state championship was just the perfect ending to the school’s 50th year.”
“Charles Wright isn’t just my job, it’s my hobby,” jokes Francis who often puts in long hours scouting basketball teams all over the state. He also enjoys playing softball, teaching Sunday school and being a great dad to his two sons. He likes to go camping but notes that while some members of the family enjoy spending weeks in the backcountry, he prefers camping in a trailer with a hot shower and cable television so he can watch the Mariners play while admiring the sunset.
Francis graduated from Pacific Lutheran University. He joined the faculty of Charles Wright full time in 1994. He also coaches basketball and baseball. During his tenure he has also coached football and soccer. Francis hopes his students will remember him as a calm person they could always find when they need to talk something out. Over the years he has enjoyed watching students he taught in Beginning School grow and develop over the years into upper schoolers.
In 2008 Francis coached the varsity boys’ basketball team to the school’s first basketball state championship. At the annual auction, one team member’s parents bought a jersey from the game signed by every member of the team. They immediately gave that framed jersey to Francis. “They didn’t have to do that,” says Francis. “But that team just sort of became like a family. I think those boys will always remember me as the guy that was sick the entire week of the state tournament and had to keep taking acid reducers. The state championship was just the perfect ending to the school’s 50th year.”
“Charles Wright isn’t just my job, it’s my hobby,” jokes Francis who often puts in long hours scouting basketball teams all over the state. He also enjoys playing softball, teaching Sunday school and being a great dad to his two sons. He likes to go camping but notes that while some members of the family enjoy spending weeks in the backcountry, he prefers camping in a trailer with a hot shower and cable television so he can watch the Mariners play while admiring the sunset.
