Eric Whitman

Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator

Biography

Coach Eric Whitman is the founder of the UMaine Tackle Football Club, and has served as the club's President since it's creation in 2006. Eric has also been the Offensive Coordinator and Player Coach for the first two seasons, and moved to the sideline exclusively in 2008. After playing two seasons of high school class C football for Maine Central Institute, Eric attended Norwich University's Military College of Vermont campus in Northfield Vermont for three semesters playing two seasons of division 3 football for the Cadets. He was named to the Freedom Football Conference all rookie team for his exceptional special teams play as a kick and punt returner. Eric played 6 seasons of semi-pro football, twice being named an All Star, prior to returning to college at UMaine. After a lengthy NCAA appeals process, Eric was deemed ineligible for NCAA division 1 football. Not eligible to join the Black Bears Varsity team, the club program was born. Eric played as the club's starting Running Back for the majority of the first two seasons being named Offensive Player of the Week twice, was the East's starting Running Back in the NIFL's first All Star game as well as being named an alternate to the 2007 all star team. Under Coach Whitman, the Black Bears have won two division championships and have made their league playoffs all four seasons. Eric's broad football experience, standing in the Semi-Pro football community, and passion for the game make him an ideal choice to coach this season's Black Bears Club Team.

Personal

Eric is married to his wife of 6 years Hope, who also serves as the club Treasurer and Game & Event Coordinator. They have with two children, one son Austin (6) who is the team water boy, and one son Dylan (6) who is the team ball boy. He also holds a 5th Gup Green Belt in Tae Kwon Do, formerly trained to be a US Air Force pilot through the JPTP, and is a member of UMaine's SAE Clean Snowmobile Competition team. Eric is a Mechanical Engineering Major at UMaine with minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. He is originally from Worcester Massachusetts and now resides in Old Town Maine.