SPRINGFIELD, Mass., – December 22, 2005 – Jack Holik, the defensive coordinator of the Springfield College football team, has been named 2005 co-winner of the Assistant Coach of the Year Award for New England as presented by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.
Holik will share this prestigious award with Chip Kelly, the offensive coordinator at the University of New Hampshire.
The award goes to an assistant football coach who has consistently brought out the best in his players and has been an example of excellence and dedication in the coaching profession.
“This award is richly deserved,” said Springfield Head Football Coach Mike DeLong. “Jack Holik has a knack for getting the most out of his players, he is always thoroughly prepared, and we’re very fortunate to have him as a part of our staff. He is an outstanding coach and a true asset to the college.”
Holik just completed his 25th season on the SC football staff, and his 22nd season as an instructor in physical education and health fitness. An excellent recruiter and football technician, Holik is widely regarded as one of the top defensive specialists in Division III. In 2003, the Pride defense was ranked among the leaders nationally against the run (20th/102.2 ypg) and total defense (30th/273.4 ypg).
In 2002, SC was ranked 14th in pass efficiency defense (86.3) and 22nd in total defense (253.5) in D3.
Holik served as captain of the football and baseball teams at Manchester (Conn.) High and received the “Outstanding Student-Athlete” and Yale Club of Hartford awards for excellence in academics and athletics. He also played baseball and was an All-New England football lineman at Trinity College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in history in 1975.
Holik later received his master’s in physical education from Springfield College in 1982.
Michael C. “Mike” DeLong ’74 enters his 31st season as a head football coach in the fall of 2012. He enters his 29th year at Springfield College alone. For the past 28 years, he has been the head coach at Springfield, his alma mater. Mike had also been the head coach at Maine Maritime in Castine, Maine in 1979 and 1980. Read more.
