September 2000: "The Hillary Legacy" - Cistercian Preparatory School

Boys flocked to Hillary’s programsParticipation increases by sport, 1984 vs. 1998Middle School PercentMiddle School IncreaseFootball* 112Cross Country* 133Basketball* 113Soccer* 67Track 80Tennis 25Baseball** Two teams50 playershave discouraged him from returning,despite repeated requests fromthen Headmaster Fr. Bernard.“I was unsuccessful for threeyears, so I gave up on him,” recalledFr. Bernard. “Then, at his own initiative,he called me in 1984 and toldme that he was ready, but wanted tojoin us full time, and asked if I had ajob for him.”This time Hillary had come toterms with Cistercian’s emphasis onacademics. He also was prepared personally,professionally and spirituallyto commit himself fully to the boys.“He told us in the Spring of 1984that his decision to come toCistercian was based on a good dealof prayer,” said Matt Walter ’86,Cistercian’s director of developmentand head JV football coach. “Coachwas a man of faith and it guided himthroughout. It was steadfast, but notflamboyant.”Instead of resuming his previousduties as varsity basketball coach,Hillary opted instead to take on theduties of athletic director and varsityfootball coach. He dove into thebusiness of shaping young men andnever looked back. His level of commitmentto the boys and to theschool exceeded all expectations.Upper School PercentUpper School IncreaseFootball* 107Cross Country 150Basketball* 112Soccer 75Track* 167Tennis 71Baseball** Two teams28 players* Required adding an additional team due to increased participation.** Baseball was not offered until 1987.Note: enrollment at Cistercian increased from under 200 students to around 345 (approximately73 percent) between 1984 and 1998.“I had no set time-table for him,but, as with all my hirings, I expectedfor him to ‘last forever.’” said Fr.Bernard. “He showed me proof ofsuch intentions by always being thevery first to return the signed contractfor the following year. Hewould not even look at the pagewhere the salary was indicated; hejust grabbed a pen, signed the document,gave it back to me and saidthat it was not the money he wasworking for.”Fr. Abbot appreciated CoachHillary’s sense of the role of athleticsat the school. “He knew howimportant academics are atCistercian and he could not imaginehis goals without those. He appreciatedthe support he received, thekind of boys we have, and the peacefullyestablished place football hasamong the school’s programs.”“Cistercian was his family,” insistedSheila Hillary. “He loved the boys,the parents, the faculty, and especiallyFr. Bernard and Fr. Peter.”David Patrick said, “I know hereceived offers that on paper werebetter — bigger programs, moremoney — but he loved being a partof the Cistercian family, and I don’tthink he would have left it. He waslike the priests and so many of thelay faculty that stay for so long whomake Cistercian such an amazingplace and make it difficult for peopleoutside to really understand just howspecial Cistercian is.”“He wasn’t about playing checkerswith jobs,” added Jay McAuley, headfootball coach at St. Mark’s. “He wasabout building something he could bePhoto courtesy of Sheila HillaryTAKING A BREAK Fly fishing inNew Mexico was Coach Hillary’sway of recharging his battery. Heshared this love with his brotherand his wife Sheila.8The CONTINUUM