Richard C. Nolan
Encyclopedia
Richard C. "Dick" Nolan was an American football
coach in the United States. He was one of the early adopters of a heavier schedule than his peer schools, playing 12 games a year. He would later use football as a physical fitness tool to develop physical fitness in the United States Navy
.
, Nolan played guard
and also served as captain of the Picher Gorillas football team in 1929. After graduating from Picher High School, Nolan was an all-state junior college football player at Oklahoma Military Academy
.
and was named to the All-Kansas football team while playing for that school's program under head coach Fran Welch
. Nolan also received a master's degree from Emporia Teachers College.
in Arkansas City, Kansas
from 1935-1939. While at Arkansas City Junior City College, Nolan's teams were undefeated at home for four years. The school has since disbanded its football program.
as the school's athletic director
head football coach. One newspaper noted that Nolan had his work cut out for him at Southwestern: "Football, however, been on the slide at Winfield since 1934 and Nolan faces a difficult problem of bringing the boys back into the money." Another Kansas newspaper in March 1940 wrote:
During Nolan's first year with the Moundbuilders, interest in football grew, as one Kansas newspaper reported: "Football interest continues rampant here. The largest opening crowd in many years saw the Builders play Alva last week."
Nolan was a supporter of a heavier schedule than most schools at the time, choosing to play twelve games in the 1941 regular season when most schools would only play eight. It was not until 2005 that schools would widely pursue twelve games in a regular season.
Nolan was the ninth football coach for the Southwestern College Moundbuilders
in Winfield, Kansas
and held that position 2 seasons, from 1940 to 1941. His overall coaching record at Southwestern was 12 wins, 8 losses, and 2 ties. As of completion of the 2006 season, this ranks him 14th at Southwestern in terms of total wins and 16th at Southwestern in terms of total winning percentage .
into World War II
following the attack on Pearl Harbor
, Nolan enlisted in the U.S. Navy
. In July 1942, Nolan was assigned along with other athletic coaches to participate in a "physical hardening program" at the Naval Air Corps
' pre-flight training program at Gardner Air Base.
In 1944, Nolan was appointed the head football coach for a U.S. Navy football team known as the Norman Navy Zoomers. That year, he coached the Zoomers to a 15-0 victory over the Oklahoma A&M football team
that went on to win the Cotton Bowl Classic on January 1, 1945. He continued serving in the Navy after World War II and was the Operations Officer at the Dallas Naval Air Station
as of March 1947.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach in the United States. He was one of the early adopters of a heavier schedule than his peer schools, playing 12 games a year. He would later use football as a physical fitness tool to develop physical fitness in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
High school and Junior College
A native of Picher, OklahomaPicher, Oklahoma
Picher is a ghost town and former city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. Formerly a major national center of lead and zinc mining at the heart of the Tri-State Mining District, over a century of unrestricted subsurface excavation dangerously undermined most of Picher's town buildings and...
, Nolan played guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and also served as captain of the Picher Gorillas football team in 1929. After graduating from Picher High School, Nolan was an all-state junior college football player at Oklahoma Military Academy
Rogers State University
Rogers State University is a public, co-educational university located in Claremore, Oklahoma with branch campuses in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Pryor Creek, Oklahoma. Since it began offering bachelor's degrees in 2000, it has outpaced the growth of all other public universities in Oklahoma...
.
Emporia State
After completing his studies at the junior college level, Nolan attended Emporia Teachers CollegeEmporia State University
Emporia State University is a university in the city of Emporia in Lyon County, Kansas, just east of the Flint Hills.- History :...
and was named to the All-Kansas football team while playing for that school's program under head coach Fran Welch
Fran Welch
Francis George Welch was a college football, track and field coach and athletic director in the United States. He was of the first three coaches to be selected for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Track and Field Hall of Fame and is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of...
. Nolan also received a master's degree from Emporia Teachers College.
Arkansas City Junior College
Nolan was the head football coach at Arkansas City Junior CollegeCowley County Community College
Cowley College is a two-year college located in Arkansas City, Kansas. It also operates satellite facilities in nearby Winfield, Wellington, Mulvane, and Wichita, and offers distance-learning classes at nine area high schools. Cowley College is accredited by the NCA's Higher Learning Commission.-...
in Arkansas City, Kansas
Arkansas City, Kansas
Arkansas City is a city situated at the confluence of the Arkansas and Walnut rivers in the southwestern part of Cowley County, located in south-central Kansas, in the central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,415....
from 1935-1939. While at Arkansas City Junior City College, Nolan's teams were undefeated at home for four years. The school has since disbanded its football program.
Southwestern College
In 1940, Nolan was hired by the Southwestern College MoundbuildersSouthwestern College Moundbuilders
Southwestern College athletic teams are known as the Moundbuilders . They participate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.Men's Sports* Basketball...
as the school's athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
head football coach. One newspaper noted that Nolan had his work cut out for him at Southwestern: "Football, however, been on the slide at Winfield since 1934 and Nolan faces a difficult problem of bringing the boys back into the money." Another Kansas newspaper in March 1940 wrote:
"Nolan knows football. Better than that, Nolan knows football players. It is reported that he drove through Frontenac, where every boy is either a potential all state guard or fullback, with an empty car. He left the town, bound for Arkansas City, with players jammed in the seats and standing on the running board."
During Nolan's first year with the Moundbuilders, interest in football grew, as one Kansas newspaper reported: "Football interest continues rampant here. The largest opening crowd in many years saw the Builders play Alva last week."
Nolan was a supporter of a heavier schedule than most schools at the time, choosing to play twelve games in the 1941 regular season when most schools would only play eight. It was not until 2005 that schools would widely pursue twelve games in a regular season.
Nolan was the ninth football coach for the Southwestern College Moundbuilders
Southwestern College Moundbuilders
Southwestern College athletic teams are known as the Moundbuilders . They participate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.Men's Sports* Basketball...
in Winfield, Kansas
Winfield, Kansas
Winfield is a city situated along the Walnut River in the west-central part of Cowley County, located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,301...
and held that position 2 seasons, from 1940 to 1941. His overall coaching record at Southwestern was 12 wins, 8 losses, and 2 ties. As of completion of the 2006 season, this ranks him 14th at Southwestern in terms of total wins and 16th at Southwestern in terms of total winning percentage .
Military service and football
With the entry of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
following the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Nolan enlisted in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. In July 1942, Nolan was assigned along with other athletic coaches to participate in a "physical hardening program" at the Naval Air Corps
United States Naval Air Corps
The United States Naval Air Corps was a term denoting the portion of the United States Navy made up of United States Naval Aviators. The term was especially in use before and during World War II....
' pre-flight training program at Gardner Air Base.
In 1944, Nolan was appointed the head football coach for a U.S. Navy football team known as the Norman Navy Zoomers. That year, he coached the Zoomers to a 15-0 victory over the Oklahoma A&M football team
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
that went on to win the Cotton Bowl Classic on January 1, 1945. He continued serving in the Navy after World War II and was the Operations Officer at the Dallas Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station Dallas
Naval Air Station Dallas was a United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was originally established as an Army Aviation center, and eventually became home to aviation assets from all the military services. The facility was...
as of March 1947.
External links
- Southwestern College official football team site
- Cowley College official athletic site