Paul Killinger Memorial Scholarship Fund

Paul Killinger was a football guy who loved the game.   He loved the feeling of being part of a team, part of a brotherhood.  As a coach, he wanted to set the stage for each player to develop a sense of being part of something larger than himself where each individual’s effort contributes to the good of the team.  He liked X’s and O’s but he loved the players.  He wanted them to experience the passion and brotherhood that came with making a commitment to work hard knowing that to improve the team you need to improve yourself.  We would like to help other graduating football players that exhibit this passion for the game.

Paul graduated from Rockland High School in 1968 where he was a multiple sport star, but football was his sport.  His accomplishments at Rockland included starting as a freshman and being selected in his sophomore year, 1965, as a League All-Star running back.  In 1966 and 1967, Paul was selected as an All Scholastic for the Boston Globe, Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise. After high school, Coach Killinger served in the armed services for two years before returning to the states to continue his education and football career at New Mexico Highlands.  Shortly thereafter, Coach Killinger returned to Massachusetts to play three years, 1972 to 1975, for Boston State College as a strong safety, helping lead his team to three consecutive league championships.

After college, Coach Killinger continued to play football and started his real coaching career.  From 1976 to 1980, he played for the Randolph Oilers semi-pro team and coached the defensive backs.  Coach Killinger moved on to play and coach from 1981 to 1984 for the Middleboro Cobras. Since the age of 8, Coach Killinger has played or coached football with the exception of one year, 1985.  After having Coach at home for that year, Jane, his wife knew he needed to get back to his passion and convinced Paul to return to the Randolph Oilers. Paul returned to the Oilers in 1986 leaving in 1996, after serving as defensive coordinator for 7 years and head coach for 3 years.

Coach Killinger started his high school coaching career in 1993 as Hingham’s defensive coordinator.  He became Hingham’s head coach in 1996 and served as head coach until 2014. Paul went on to coach three years in Weymouth and last year had the opportunity to work with his nephew, Mark Killinger, head coach of Norwell High School football.  He loved his year in Norwell.

The scholarship will be awarded to football players from Rockland, Hingham, and/or Norwell who demonstrate the character and passion for football, Paul Killinger exemplified throughout his life.