By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Football season can be a hectic time around the Gallagher house.
That’s because at the same time Charlie is coaching football at Princeton High School, Reece, Avery, Quinn and Chase are all heading out to their own sports activities, whether that’s on the soccer field, the lacrosse field, the football field, the gymnastic mat or the swimming pool.
“My wife is the glue,” Charlie says of his wife of 15 years, Cari. “She has kept encouraging me to coach. She knows I love it. We’re able to balance it because of her. And now with the kids in the mix with their sports it has been more challenging to make the games and practices. But we make it work.”
Charlie Gallagher has been the head football coach at Princeton High for the past four years. Before that he was an assistant coach at PHS, as well as a couple of stints coaching with the sprint team at Princeton University. His children have grown up with him as a football coach and the family has grown into a sports family.
“One thing I feel passionate about is being a team,” said Cari, an elementary school teacher in Lawrence. “We have six people and we are totally a team. It’s really a great feeling to know not only do we have the girls who help out with our son, but Chase is selfless as well. It is good that the kids see that we are Team Gallagher and have to be there to help each other out.”
Between football, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, gymnastics, schoolwork and other activities there is not much down time for Team Gallagher. But this week as the holidays approach the family will be together and have a chance to recharge for the activities that are ahead.
“It is nice that we have a little down time,” Charlie said. “We’ll have some friends over and there will be some wind-down time with the kids. They are active. We make sure they keep up with what they are doing at school. And we get them to where they need to be. There is no rest for the weary.
“My wife is a teacher as well and is active in the Lawrence Public School system. She is knee-deep in committees in Lawrence and we try to adjust her schedule with mine. We’re two teachers that don’t end the day at 3 p.m.”
Charlie and Cari both grew up in South Jersey and met while attending Rider University together. They were married in 2001 and the family has grown to six with the additions of Reece (11), Avery (10), Quinn (8) and Chase (6). Charlie teaches broadcasting and multi-media at PHS, where he has been since 2002. Coaching football has gone hand-in-hand with teaching. It’s a sport he played at Paulsboro High and one that his wife has grown to love.
“In my family, I grew up with one sister,” Cari said. “My dad played football and was all football in high school. Having two girls, I felt bad for him because we weren’t that interested in sports. It was dance class and dolls. I did play softball and basketball and also did a little tennis. But I was more of a club person. I like the arts and photo classes and world languages. I played sports and know about sports. But the sports our kids are heavy in, I didn’t know a lot about.
“I didn’t know a lick about lacrosse at all. Swimming, aside from swim lessons, I didn’t swim. They all feel into their sports on their own. It’s important that they have their own drive and motivation.”
The heavy activity can make for some hectic times around the Gallagher household. But Charlie and Cari wouldn’t have it any other way when it comes to their children being active.
“Our kids are probably more active than the average kid,” Charlie said. “Right now all four swim, all four play lacrosse, one plays soccer, one plays football and we have one in gymnastics. There was a period where they were all playing lacrosse and soccer was also going on and then swimming starts. So we had a two week period where the kids are jumping from one sport to another on the same day and they have school work they have to finish up.
“It is challenging period, especially for my wife because at that period of time I am still coaching. We have had maybe 20 nannies in the last four or five years, all from same sorority at TCNJ (Kappa Delta). We’ve always said if you want to pledge a sorority, get to be a nanny for the Gallaghers. They really help us out after school.”
Admittedly, Cari wasn’t much of a football fan before she met Charlie. But now the sport is an important part of her life, as well as her children, who get to as many Princeton High games as possible with their hectic schedule.
“I never knew a person could live and die football,” Cari said. “My dad loves Charlie. I’ve been at pretty much ever game except when it is deep down south. I’ve gone from strollers to now they are all over the place during the games. Our son loves football. He plays a variety of sports. This year he played with the Princeton Junior Football League.
“My kids know Princeton High School like I don’t know it. I have been with Charlie as long as he has been working there. They know the school and the players’ names. The kids are always in great hands there. I feel bad that I show up at the games with four kids and it wasn’t until this year that I could sit in the bleachers for longer that 37 seconds. That is why I always stand by the fence. People might think I am not getting to know the parents, but it wasn’t until this year that I could actually sit and watch the game.”
Added Charlie: “I don’t know if they have their fan favorites. They hear the names on the PA and they get to know the players. The football players are really great with the kids. They embrace our coaches and the coaches kids. Our program, as far as I know, we have only one coach who is not married with kids and he’s getting married next year.
“All of our coaches have families. It’s nice for the football players to see that we are professionals and also family guys. The kids come on field after the games and the players give them high fives regardless of wins or losses. It is a great atmosphere. This year at our banquet my wife happened to be there and the seniors gave some flowers to her. It was so nice.”
The challenges are always there, but football and sports have been a huge factor in the family life of the Gallagher family. But they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s been tricky,” Cari said. “Charlie knows when he says you guys should come to the game that there are a lot of bags to pack. But no one ever complains. They love it. The kids enjoy going to see his games and be a part of it.”
And for as excited as the children get about PHS football, Charlie and Cari are just as excited about whatever sport their kids happen to be involved with at that moment.
“They are swimming this winter,” Charlie said. “Swimming starts in October and goes until February and then the summer swimming starts in June and that runs through the end of July. I give them a lot of credit. I jump in the pool a couple times and do a little swimming. I get to the end of the pool and back and I’m done and they are ready to go 10 more times.
“My wife and I are avid sports fans. But we never participated in swimming. We’ve never played lacrosse. I don’t know much about soccer. It is amazing to get to know these sports and the kids develop great relationships. My daughter is a pretty good soccer player and I have become a big fan of soccer.”
The action keeps the family moving. But they do get their chances like this week to settle in keep everything in perspective.
“A couple weeks ago as football finished it was nice to sit down and have dinner with the whole family,” Charlie said. “It happens a lot. But when football season is on, it’s done. To sit down with all six of us during the football season doesn’t happen often. It is nice that the last few weeks we have had a lot of family sit downs, which is good. We check our day and their day what do we have this weekend.”
Chances are most weekends are booked. But this weekend will be family time for Team Gallagher.
