When the University of Washington football team hit the practice field last Monday for the start of fall camp, there was one Husky who knew he’d always be there.

Of course, Reece Anderson also happens to be the Husky who took the one of the most circuitous routes to that practice field – and the only one there living his dreams thanks to a tireless year of self-promotion and selling to not one, but two head coaches.

After graduating from Newport in 2007, Anderson headed to the Cheshire Academy in Conn., on the advice of former UW head coach Tyrone Willingham. After a year in the Academy’s post-graduate program, Willingham told Anderson, he’d have a better chance to earn a spot on UW’s roster.

So Anderson went east, worked hard, and the accolades came. Cheshire finished 8-1, won the NEPSAC-Austin Bowl Championship and Anderson, playing linebacker and a variety of position on offense, earned First Team All-Colonial League honors.

“It went really well,” Anderson said. “Academically, I made improvements and also, I just did a lot of growing up in general and got ready to enter that college lifestyle.”

But while Anderson was holding up his end of the bargain, things were falling apart for Willingham; the Huskies lost their first seven games and Willingham was forced to resign. The coach agreed to stay on through the rest of the season, and the team finished 0-12, going winless for the first time in school history.

Willingham was gone. And with him, seemingly, went all the traction Anderson had made towards securing a roster spot.

“Things changed drastically,” Anderson said. “I’d been talking with coach Willingham every week; I’d get my film to him, we’d go back and forth. He was really excited for me to come in.

“When he got fired, everything went crazy and no one knew who I was.”

But for Anderson, the choice was simple. Keep forging on. Don’t give up.

“When Willingham was fired, it was just more motivation for me to do whatever I had to do to get it done,” Anderson said. “It was definitely frustrating though … for a while I was considering the East Coast schools, but that was something I didn’t want to do. I just kept at it.”

When Anderson returned home for break, the Huskies had already hired Steve Sarkisian as their next head coach. Anderson eventually got in touch with safeties coach Jeff Mills.

“I spent the next two months calling coach Mills every day,” Anderson said. “It was definitely a big change of events, going from hoping for a scholarship to just hoping to get into the school. I guess the persistence kind of paid off in the end.”

Anderson had a simple message for the UW staff.

“I told them that I don’t need a scholarship,” he said. “I just need to get my foot in the door and I can show them what I can do.”

It paid off. Sarkisian gave Anderson a spot as an invited walk-on. He was originally supposed to join the team, where he’s listed as a linebacker, after the opening game against Louisiana State University, but when a spot opened up, Anderson joined the squad for the start of fall camp.

Anderson joins fellow Newport alums Tripper Johnson and Andrew Ferleman on the squad.

“With three Newport guys on the team, I think it might be the most ever,” Anderson said.

But now that he’s on the team, Anderson isn’t done yet. No, his dreams are bigger than merely joining the Husky football team.

“The goal is to get some playing time; the record for the team overall is the big goal and my goal is to be the best practice player I can be, and get on the field,” Anderson said. “I’m just really excited to get next year under way.”

Washington opens the season at home on Sept. 5, hosting LSU.

“The culminating moment in all of this,” Anderson said, “is going to be running out from that tunnel on the first game. That is going to be just great.”

Joel Willits can be reached at 425.453.5045.