It's all about family at Northbridge High School's football team.Head coach Ken LaChapelle was the starting quarterback there way back in 1966, eventually becoming assistant and then head coach for the team.He took the main job 50 years ago and in the decades since, has seen a lot of success. Plus, he's been able to enjoy so much of it with family on the field.LaChapelle's son, Jess, has been assistant coach for 25 years. And his grandson, Joel, is the starting senior quarterback.After 50 years, the passion is sti...
It's all about family at Northbridge High School's football team.
Head coach Ken LaChapelle was the starting quarterback there way back in 1966, eventually becoming assistant and then head coach for the team.
He took the main job 50 years ago and in the decades since, has seen a lot of success. Plus, he's been able to enjoy so much of it with family on the field.
LaChapelle's son, Jess, has been assistant coach for 25 years. And his grandson, Joel, is the starting senior quarterback.
After 50 years, the passion is still there for LaChapelle, although he's hinted this might be the year to call it a career.
With 10 titles, he is the winningest coach in New England football history, and last November, he became the first to reach 400 wins.
"In the stands was my 100-year-old father and my 96-year-old mother, and that just happened to be my father's 100 birthday on that 400th win," LaChapelle said. "To me, that is as special as it can possibly [be.]"
"Loves the town of Northbridge, loves his job," Jess said. "Getting a little more short with the kids and maybe a little less patience and that's where I come in to try to remind him."
Joel knows how important this year is to the family.
"Knowing that it's my grandfather's last, one of the last seasons — we just got more motivation to win and I know as myself we really want to win that state championship," Joel said.
He also was a softball coach at Northbridge where he coached his daughter, Kylie. He won a couple of titles in his 20 years.
Back to football, there is a special meeting in his final regular season game on Thanksgiving. They will face rival Uxbridge, and on that team is another grandson, Camden.
"I've been fortunate enough to coach my sons, three of my sons, and coached five grandkids," LaChapelle said. "Everything led to this little time to say, it's time."