An Insider’s Look at Coach ‘O’: Coaching Three Undefeated Teams Simultaneously
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Nicholas O’Loughlin, better known as “Coach O,” is a man who wears many proverbial “hats” at Saint Francis Community High School. O’Loughlin serves as the head coach for junior high football, junior varsity football, junior high basketball, track, and the assistant varsity football coach.
Currently, O’Loughlin is coaching three teams simultaneously that are all undefeated. Saint Francis is the only 8-man football team in the state that is still undefeated across all three levels: junior high, junior varsity and varsity football.
Steve Kirkham, who has an almost 40-year coaching and athletic administration career, retired in May from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and moved to Saint Francis. Kirkham arguably couldn’t stay away from the game so in his “retirement” he serves as St. Francis’ assistant football coach for junior high and varsity. Kirkham said Saint Francis is undefeated across all three levels because of speed. “Our speed is what defines our team,” Kirkham said. “We just out run teams and that is what makes us so deadly. Teams are just unable to keep up with us.”
“Coach O’Loughlin is a very skilled coach who understands the game of football and how it should be played,” Kirkham said. “He studies the game and film every day trying to prepare for the next team. He is a very good coach to have on the sideline,” said Kirkham.
O’Loughlin said he became a coach because his mom was a P.E. teacher and he grew up playing sports. “I have known since I was in high school what I wanted to do because I had a great coach that made me want to do it,” he said.
O’Loughlin said his life is busy with watching film seven days a week, studying, practicing and working with his players and other coaches. “I learn by studying a lot and learning from other great coaches,” said O’Loughlin. “I have to have a set schedule and work around everything else; it’s busy.”
Shadryon Blanka, Saint Francis junior high quarterback, said “Coach O’Loughlin is really fun to play under especially when he gives us a trick play to run and we score.”
Many of the senior football players were on the first team O’Loughlin coached at Saint Francis when the junior high Indians went undefeated four years ago. “Coach O’Loughlin is very comfortable to be coached under because I have been around him for four years,” said Taylor Rogers, Saint Francis senior. “He brings a lot of passion and excitement to practice and games, he is very passionate about what he does,” said Rogers.
O’Loughlin said his teams have felt like family because he has been able to watch them grow and get better and develop over the four years of coaching them.
Rodney Yates, St. Francis athletic director and head varsity football coach, said he enjoys working with O’Loughlin. “He brings a lot of passion, energy, and loves what he does,” said Yates. “He has grown as a professional and taken much more responsibility. He is preparing to be a head [varsity football] coach someday.” said Yates.
