Hank Hardwick
Harry Judson Hardwick was an American college football player and coach. He was the 22nd head football coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, serving for two seasons, from 1937 to 1938, and compiling a record of 8–7–3. Before this, he played college football for eight seasons. He first played for the VPI Gobblers, as center for his first two seasons and defensive end for other two seasons. He was team captain during his final season at VPI. He then played four seasons as a defensive end for the Navy Midshipmen.
Early life
Hardwick grew up in Virginia Hardwick's family was well known in the sport of American football. He was the younger brother of James "Jim" Hardwick, who was captain of the VPI Gobblers football team and a member of the 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores football team. Hardwick and his older brother both played football at Blacksburg High School, which Hardwick graduate from. A 1923 story published in The Roanoke Times opined that the two brothers were "probably the greatest football stars ever turned out by the local high school."Collegiate football playing career
Hardwick played collegiate American football for eight seasons, playing as a center for his first two college seasons, and as an end thereafter.VPI Gobblers (1919–1922)
While attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Hardwick played four seasons on the VPI Gobblers football collegiate team. He had been referred to the team by Curly Byrd.In Hardwick first two seasons on the team, he played center. During his first season, his older brother was team captain. The Roanoke Times described him as having been light in weight during his early collegiate career, describing him as being, "the lightest center in South Atlantic history."
For the entirety the 1921 season, Hardwick was moved from center and instead played left defensive end. Hardwick was regarded to have been a star player in the 1921 season. A 1921 article published in The Roanoke Times described, "Hardwick is a fast and aggressive end, and lives up to all the traditions that gave made the name 'Hardwick' famous in the football annals." During the team's 1922 season, he was its captain, having been voted the team's 1922 captain on November 20, 1921 soon after the close of the previous season.
Navy Midshipmen (1923–26)
In 1923, Hardwick enrolled in the United States Naval Academy and joined the Navy Midshipmen football team. Hardwick played for the team during its 1923, 1924, 1925 and 1926 seasons.In his plebe year at Navy, Hardwick played left end.
During the team's highly successful 1926 season, Hardwick played right end, while Rusell Lloyd played left end. That season, sports writer Irving Vaughan wrote, "Hardwick is considered the most experienced performer on the Navy
Coaching career at Navy
Hardwick joined Navy's coaching staff. From 1928 and 1929, he was the coach for ends. In 1931 he coached the plebe class ends. 1933 he was assistant coach for plebe players, and in 1934 he was the coach for plebes players.Hardwick served as coach of Navy Midshipmen football for two seasons (1937 and 1938. As head coach, he compiled a record of 8–7–3.