Though Jerry McDougall retired as Trumbull High School’s football coach 11 years ago, he never really got the sport out of his blood. McDougall still attended the scrimmages and practices of teams that were once opponents, went to every UConn contest, 2-3 high school games a week and attended clinics and the national convention every year.
McDougall’s closest friend, Dick Whitcomb, has been trying to coax him back to the sideline for some time, and McDougall has always said no.
Until last April.
In a major coup for a small private school that lives in the shadow of the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, the 74-year-old McDougall has agreed to return to coaching, as the defensive coordinator at St. Luke’s in New Canaan.
“I’m excited by this opportunity,” McDougall said.
When McDougall stepped down in 1998, he was the winningest coach in state history, with 265 victories (he now ranks third). McDougall won four FCIAC and three state titles in his 34 seasons. McDougall stayed on as Trumbull’s baseball coach until 2005, finishing with a 466-221 mark, three league and two state championships in 32 seasons.
McDougall is a member of both the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame for football and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame for both football and baseball.
McDougall’s two children graduated from St. Luke’s. Whitcomb, who played football with McDougall at the University of Bridgeport, is a former football coach, athletic director and headmaster at St. Luke’s. The two speak daily and have summer homes on Cape Cod one quarter of a mile apart.
“I think this is going to work out great,” Whitcomb said. “He’s already put in a lot of time. I think this is not only going to benefit the school but benefit him as well.”
Ryan Brown, the Crusaders’ fourth-year coach, said he had no problem having a presence like McDougall on his staff. St. Luke’s was 1-8 last season. They open their season at home on Sept. 17 against Riverdale Country School.
“He’s going to bring a lot to the program and I’m excited about it,” Brown said.
Though McDougall decided to get back into coaching four months ago, he made a concerted effort to keep the news private.
“I want the focus to be on St. Luke’s and not myself,” McDougall said in the kind of selfless statement that has been his trademark.
Here’s my story that will appear in tomorrow’s edition of The Advocate.
