1960
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Nicholas V.H. Kip
s an Andover student, Nick Kip excelled on the varsity wrestling and sailing teams, receiving the “A” award his senior year. One of his most memorable moments in wrestling came when he faced off against an undefeated Exeter junior named John Irving. More than 60 years later, Kip can still recount every move of their intense back-and-forth match, which ultimately ended in a tie—a moment immortalized in Irving’s novel The World According to Garp. In June of his senior year, Kip skippered the Andover sailing team to two consecutive victories in Division B of the Interscholastic Regatta on Manhasset Bay. He continued his athletic career at Princeton University, where he competed in both wrestling and sailing. After graduating from Princeton, Kip began his professional career teaching Latin and coaching wrestling at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire. After four years, he returned to Andover, where he became a cornerstone of the Classics Department and, upon his retirement in 2022,
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set a record for the longest teaching tenure in the school’s history—54 years. Kip began coaching varsity wrestling in 1968, often getting on the mat to demonstrate a particular move. As one student recalls, he kept himself “lean, tough, and very in shape for a faculty member.” In 1993, Kip stepped down from coaching due to repeated knee injuries. During his 25-year leadership, Kip coached four Prep Nationals All-Americans, five New England Prep Champions, and 35 Class A Champions, and the team earned 10 Top 3 Finishes at the Class A Championships. Kip’s dedication to his students, wrestlers, and the school community has had an unparalleled impact on Andover athletics and academics. “You encouraged me in ways that ultimately led to me loving the sport and excelling in it,” said former wrestler Josh Hubbard ’83. “The level of commitment to and joy for the sport you shared with us was tremendous and had a deep impact on the 14-year-old version of me.”
1960 wrestling team: Kip is back row, fourth from left. 9