Many of us have tried to pry a stick out of the persistent jaws of a dog’s mouth, battled over the longer end of a wishbone on Thanksgiving or struggled against a sibling for the larger share of a blanket. This familiar activity will be formally introduced at Lawrence University starting in Fall 2027. Tug of war, a sport that dates back to ancient times and has gone by many names and has seen many methods over the years, is being added to Lawrence’s athletics program. Willy Armstrong, a native of Scotland who received a bachelor’s degree in physics from Lawrence in the late ‘80s, will be returning to Appleton to lead the new tug of war team. During a Zoom interview with Armstrong earlier in the week, he reflected on his motivations and background in tug of war: “I been stubborn my whole life. My mother has often told me I hardly came out of the womb.”
Making use of his strong will, Armstrong participated in tug of war contests throughout his youth and eventually joined the Scottish Tug of War Association after his time at Lawrence. Despite what his name might suggest, Armstrong provided an enlightening answer about what it takes to be a good puller: “It’s all about the mind and one’s relationship to the ground below ‘em. Any bloke can have big muscles, but as soon as you link your body and mind to the environment, I assure you, you won’t budge.”…