Denman Island has a connection to the Washington State University football team.
His name is Henry Kimmins, 17, who is from the U.S. but who has spent every summer of his life on Denman.
“I feel a very deep connection to the area,” said Kimmins, who was born in Seattle but grew up in Anchorage, Ak. “Since before I was born my grandparents have been living on Denman Island, which brought me to the area on a yearly basis growing up. In 2017, my family decided to move to Denman full-time to be closer to my grandparents and other family members.”
At that time, he enrolled at IMG Academy, a boarding school in Florida which helped gain exposure to the WSU Cougars. He will play safety for the team that competes in the PAC-12 conference of the first division of the NCAA. The season starts Aug. 7.
“Playing at this level and being able to experience a pro-like atmosphere is a very humbling experience,” Kimmins said. “It really puts it in perspective knowing that many of the guys I am playing with this season will be in the NFL next year.”
He hopes to be an impact player and help WSU win a PAC-12 championship.
“I am going to take football as far as I can,” he said. “If I have the opportunity to play professionally, I will take it, but I’m also majoring in sports management so that I have a fully set-up plan if pro football does not work for me.”