Joe Morris earned his first win as head coach of the Fort Lewis College football team Saturday. It capped off one of the most special weeks of his life.
Morris and his wife Kelsey welcomed a newborn son Wednesday. Kelsey gave birth to Joseph Boudinot Johnston Morris in time for Morris to see his first child before making the trip to Spearfish, South Dakota, to face Black Hills State.
“It has been an amazing roller coaster this week,” Morris said. “My team did a great job rallying behind me when I was back-and-forth between the practice field and the hospital. And my wife Kelsey was a trooper with me being in-and-out.”
FLC beat the Yellow Jackets 17-13 on Saturday for its first win of the season. Kelsey and her entire family watched the game from home and celebrated the win from afar.
“We were all huddled around the computer with the baby,” Kelsey said. “It was so exciting.”
The couple hoped the baby would arrive on a non-game day, and the timing worked out for Joe to be with his wife.
“I love my husband’s work ethic,” Kelsey said. “I knew before we got married very much what being a coach’s wife meant. While it was a little stressful for me with the idea of him not being there, everything worked works out for a reason, and he got to do both.”
Joe was named the team’s interim head coach in June when former coach Ed Rifilato resigned. He has been back with the program since 2013 in his second stint on the FLC staff.
“I feel like the luckiest man in the world having a healthy baby boy and a team that truly loves each other,” Morris said.
Kelsey works at Coldwell Banker in Durango. Joe and Kelsey both graduated from Fort Lewis College in 2005.
After an incredible week for the Morris family, they hope Joseph will be ready to attend his first game Saturday when FLC hosts rival Adams State in the musket game.
“This week has been indescribable,” Kelsey said. “It’s the biggest blessing to welcome our son, and the win was icing on the cake.
“I am hoping (Joseph) will be there next week. We go to the pediatric doctor (Monday) to see if it’s too soon for him to come out or not, but it would be the first game I’ve missed if we can’t make it. The plan is to be there.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
