An Eagle Family Affair: The McIntosh Family
With COVID-19 putting live sporting events on hold, the Cascade Collegiate Conference wanted to take the time to highlight families within our #ThisIsTheCCC community. Many of our member institutions have administration, coaches and student-athletes family members competing together, making the CCC truly a family affair.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – When it comes to Northwest University, you won’t get far in the athletics department before coming across a McIntosh. The entire McIntosh family is either currently or formerly employed by or has attended, currently attends or plans to attend NU.
Gary McIntosh is the Director of Athletics and head men’s soccer coach, his wife Laura works part time editing all news articles for the department, his oldest daughter Morgan is an NU grad and worked in the department as an undergrad, his son Kyler is a redshirt-sophomore on the men’s soccer team, younger daughter Ashlyn is a freshman communications major at NU and the team manager for the men’s soccer team, and youngest daughter Shannae is a junior in high school with plans of attending Northwest University. Oh, and there’s Titus Nickson who is also on the men’s soccer team and is marrying into the McIntosh family when he and Morgan wed later this year.
The McIntosh family: Kyler McIntosh with his 23-month-old foster brother, Titus Nickson and fiancée Morgan McIntosh,
Laura McIntosh, Gary McIntosh, Shannae McIntosh and Ashlyn McIntosh
In 2003, Gary – who is a proud member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, along with his children – began his time as an Eagle after taking the head coaching position for the men’s soccer program. Five years later, AD was added to his title, but it didn’t really become a family affair until 2017 when son Kyler joined the NU men’s soccer team. Big sister Morgan had been working in the athletics department before Kyler came to NU, but it’s one thing to work for your dad and another to play for him.
Kyler and Gary McIntosh
“I always hoped my son would want to play for me in college but I never wanted to force him,” said Coach McIntosh. “When he decided to play at NU, it was a real honor for me. I have coached him since he was about eight in baseball and soccer and it has always been a pleasure to coach him.”
This past year, the McIntosh men led the Eagles to a 9-9-1 overall record and trip to the CCC Tournament, presented by U.S. Bank. Nothing has been given to Kyler either; he has had to earn his playing time, appearing in 13 games with nine starts as a midfielder.
“We get along really well for being in a coach/dad and player/son scenario,” said Gary. “My son knows what I am going to say before I say it because he has played for me for over thirteen years. I love getting to be around my son in the college setting and coaching him. Not too many dads and sons can say they have been together in soccer for thirteen years.”
This year, another McIntosh joined the team when daughter Ashlyn wanted to be the team manager from the beginning, something Gary wasn’t expecting but welcomed.
“I never thought that my daughter would want to be around as much as she does,” said Gary. “It has been awesome to have her around helping.”
Next year, there will be even another family member on the team after Nickson marries into the family and closes out his senior season with the Eagles.
“Titus is a great guy and they are perfect together,” said Gary about having his daughter Morgan marry one of his players. “Coaching him has been easy as we get along great.”
Gary will have three kids on the team next year, another three in the stands, along with his wife Laura, truly making Eagle Athletics a family affair.