Southington Alum Hired As New CREC Football Coach

HARTFORD, CT — A former Southington High School football standout and assistant coach has been hired to head up the football program for the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC).

Chris Kennedy, a 1997 graduate who served as defensive captain as a linebacker under legendary coach Jude Kelly, became an assistant coach for the Blue Knights after attending Basic Infantry Training for the Connecticut Army National Guard at Fort Benning in Georgia. He worked with the linebackers and coordinated the freshman defense through 2004, then followed Kelly to St. Paul Catholic High School, where he served in numerous capacities including coordinating all three phases of the game.

In March 2020, Kennedy was named head football coach at St. Paul. He has also been head varsity lacrosse coach of the Falcons since 2016, winning three Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference championships and qualifying for five straight state tournament appearances, making the 2021 Class S semifinals before falling to eventual champion St. Joseph.

"Coach Kennedy is no stranger to building programs and he’s extremely excited to put all of his passion, knowledge and experience into building a football program that all of CREC and the entire Capitol Region can be proud of," athletic director Jonathan Winer said.

Kennedy still lives in Southington with his wife Melissa and their children Brycen, Jocelyn and Adelyn.

Don't miss local and statewide news from all across Connecticut. Register for free Patch alerts and daily newsletters.