Gladwin Worden, or “Butch”, as many people know him, is a household name throughout WJ. Most students know him for either coaching the flag football team or teaching PE soccer. However, there are many more things on the 59-year-old’s agenda that many might not come to notice.
Worden is a “global nomad,” as he calls himself, having lived in six different states and four different countries: Turkey, Italy, Germany and the Philippines. This has led him to not only have more knowledge about soccer than most of his coworkers in the PE department but also to be more accepting of players of different ethnic backgrounds. This came into play when he was convinced by the head coach of the soccer team at the time to start a PE soccer class, which he has now been teaching for over 25 years.
“The kids are wonderful, and I’ve lived in different countries, so I get students of a lot of different backgrounds, and the interaction every single day is enjoyable,” Worden said. “When there are problems, whether it be fighting or theft, I have really good kids in my soccer classes. I’ve had anyone from professionals to people who have never played.”
Worden graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in business administration and physical education. Despite these aligning with what he does now, before coming to WJ, he became a paralegal for an intellectual properties law firm. He began his MCPS career coaching Paint Branch’s football and baseball teams, and then became the head football coach at WJ and a substitute teacher.
He later stepped down from the coaching role as he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two sons. Their graduation coincided with the introduction of flag football to MCPS the following fall, a coaching opportunity which Worden was reluctant to take at first.
“My wife told me I didn’t need to be home anymore because my boys were leaving the house to go to university. So, I said, ‘Okay, I’ll give it a try. How difficult could it be?’ And as it turns out, it’s been the best coaching experience I’ve ever had,” Worden said.
In just his first two years coaching the brand-new sport, Worden has delivered on and off the field. Last year, he led the Cats to win their division and, in the process, fostered a sublime team culture all about improving and supporting one another, something senior cornerback Julianna Cabanillas has come to know.
“He’s a phenomenal coach, and everyone just loves being around him,” Cabanillas said. “He loves to hit us with inspirational quotes and yell random things at us in the middle of practice. He has that kind of personality where he makes everyone feel so welcome. Our community in all of flag is just so much fun because of him and the vibes he brings.”
Worden was contacted last year by Under Armour to be a rep for their up-and-coming K-8 program called Rise Flag Football, which is now partnered with New Balance. Unfortunately, the program started too late to have a fall season, but Worden is looking forward to the spring season and is already getting going early. He is hosting free co-ed flag football clinics at North Bethesda Middle School, where he, a few of his WJ flag football players and a few former PE teachers introduce younger kids to the sport and put them through stations with different drills that work on different components of the game.
“I’ve had so many girls say that if there was a place for them to play football like this growing up, they would’ve definitely wanted to play,” he said. “My girls who are on my team who come out there and volunteer are having a blast with these kids, because now they’re teaching a younger generation what they learn from me or from playing flag football themselves. For me, it’s more about growing, learning and teaching the game as opposed to just making money.”
Between his five soccer periods, flag football coaching and all the responsibilities that come with being an adult and having a wife, Worden barely has time for anything. He does, however, take the time to watch back the team’s games and analyze them, as well as watch film to prep for upcoming opponents.
“He’s quite literally here from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” Cabanillas said. “He is so insanely committed to what he does and it shows because we’re a very good team, which is because of him. Half the time, we see the other team’s plays, and we’re like, ‘We’ve seen this. We’ve practiced this.’ That’s how we target their best players and shut them down, which is what we did with B-CC, and they had no idea what to do with themselves.”
Worden’s contribution to flag football and the broader community cannot be understated. Beyond just coaching, he has built lasting relationships with students and families throughout his long tenure.
“He’s very popular with the students and the families, so I think he’s a great part of the community,” fellow PE teacher Susan Pickett said. “I know he’s still connected with students that he taught years and years ago and they come back and visit him. He’s introducing younger people to a new sport that’s gonna be in the Olympics, which I think will benefit all those kids as they have the opportunity to learn how to play flag football before they get to high school.”
While some might retire or scale things down once they get older, Worden has not only kept going at it but also added even more into his life to keep him busy by way of flag football.
“It’s great to be at WJ,” Worden said. “I’ve been here for 34 years and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Admin always teases me, ‘How long are you gonna keep going?’ I say, ‘I wanna die on the field.’ They’re like, ‘What?’ Until my dying days, I want to be out there on that field.”
Anonymous • Nov 26, 2025 at 10:26 am
Thank you for continuing the tradition of teachers who understand the need for caring.