It’s moments like these that Ken points to when talking about the lessons of the gridiron. “Football is my favorite sport but football to me is really about life,” Hollingsworth said. “The lessons you learn on the football field carry through life. How to deal with failure, deal with success, how to handle something bad. “Teaching life lessons is the most important thing I do. The Xs and Os they’ll forget. The lessons they learned are what matters. That’s the good stuff,” he said. And the memories of the “good stuff” continue. Coach Ken remembers 2007 when the Rams became New England Champions for the first time with a record of 9-0. He also fondly remembers his other undefeated seasons—1992 and 2001. And he has special memories of his time at Tilton School when life on the field hit close to home.
“Coaching both of our two sons, Scott ’06 and Eric ’09, for four years of football and baseball at Tilton School was incredibly special for me,” Ken said. “It was fantastic to get to know their friends both as a coach and as a father. Since they have graduated, Scott and Eric have come back to help me immensely on the sidelines for every game that they can. It’s a thrill for me to have them coach with me.” Ken and his wife Sandy celebrated their 30th anniversary in March 2016, and he credits her for being such a key institutional member of the Tilton community. “Sandy has worked both in admissions and development, and she has had a huge impact on so many Tilton students and alumni. Beyond that, she has been the glue of our family, always supporting the boys and me throughout many long seasons. The players always knew that ‘Mrs. H’ would be at all of their games rooting for them. She
“TEACHING LIFE LESSONS IS THE MOST I M P O R TA N T T H I N G I D O . T H E X s A N D O s T H E Y ’ L L F O R G E T. T H E L E S S O N S T H E Y L E A R N E D A R E W H AT M AT T E R S . T H AT ’ S T H E G O O D S T U F F.” -Ken Hollingsworth P’06, ’09
truly is an exceptional person.” Ken also remembers his players and today still stays in contact with more than 500 of them, whether it is attending their weddings (Ken officiated at two alumni weddings in 2016, one in New Hampshire and one in Mexico), hearing about their potential new job opportunities or successes, learning about the births of their children, giving advice or providing support, visiting with them at Tilton functions or going with them to a Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins or Celtics game. And he remembers his dad, John ‘Bud’ Hollingsworth, and the impact he still has on Ken’s life as a teacher and coach. One particularly fond memory for Ken is when his dad joined him on the sidelines at Tilton for a few games when Ken’s regular assistant coaches were absent. While Ken called plays and managed the game, he looked over at his dad, clipboard in hand, experienced eyes on the field, and found himself in a unique place of father/son closeness. “That was one of the biggest thrills of my life, having him on the sidelines with me,” Hollingsworth said. “It was almost ceremonial.”
As Ken steps away from the football field he is not stepping away from Tilton School. He will stay on as head varsity baseball coach, student advisor, and special assistant for external relations. And he will always be the point of inspiration for thousands of Tilton alumni, students, faculty, parents, friends of the community and more than 1,000 football players now scattered far from the Hill and around the world. Scott Hollingsworth ’06 reflected on his dad’s last year coaching football at Tilton School. “People used to always ask me, ‘Is it tough playing for your dad?’ I can honestly say I speak for the entire Tilton family when I say there’s no one else in the world we would have rather played for.” about the author
Angie Cairns is the director of communications at Tilton School, joining the community in fall 2016 after more than eight years overseas where she led humanitarian projects in post-Soviet orphanages and was the head of marketing and communications at Tashkent International School. Angie is excited to be a part of the Tilton community. Her dog especially enjoys his walks in the Back 40.
Read more about Coach H... // 15