LYNN — After six years at helm of the Lynn English football program, Chris Carroll has announced that he will be stepping down as the head coach of the Bulldogs.
“This was an extremely difficult decision,” Carroll said. “I enjoyed the last six years of coaching here deeply. What it came down to for me was spending more time with family, including my young daughter, and focusing on my career. Those two things are really what it is.
“When you’re a varsity head coach, a lot goes into it,” said Carroll. “I’ve always given everything I had to English football. It’s the only way I know how to coach. I would never do it without giving 100 percent effort into it. Now is the time to step down. We had a good run.”
Carroll is a former English player himself — as a star quarterback for the Bulldogs — before graduating in 2006. He went on to play on the defensive side of the ball in college at Bentley University.
After serving in multiple roles as an assistant, Carroll took over the coaching job at English in 2015, and it didn’t take long for him to build a winning culture. The Bulldogs won 35 games under Carroll — 28 in the last four years — and have won two Northeastern Conference titles.
In 2017, Carroll’s Bulldogs broke an English record by winning 10 games in a season and making it to the Division 3 North final, where they narrowly lost to Tewksbury 31-28. That season, Carrol was also named the Boston Globe’s Division 3 Coach of the Year.
Carroll’s Bulldogs also have a 4-2 record in Thanksgiving Day rivalry games against Lynn Classical.
“The last six years have been the greatest time of my life,” Carroll, 33, said. “I want to thank the administration for hiring and supporting me. I was a young guy when they hired me and took a chance on me.”
“Chris will be missed,” English Athletic Director Dick Newton said. “He’s a classy guy. Everybody here loves Chris Carroll. He’s a Bulldog through and through.”
Over the years, Carroll has gone above and beyond at English, coaching through the weekends and during the offseason and 7-on-7 programs, said Newton.
“He took over the program and continued what (past coaches) Gary Molea and Peter Holey did,” Newton said. “He did a great job with the kids and was an amazing advocate for the program.
“We had a long talk,” Newton said. “He took a look at his personal life; this is a job that requires a lot of man hours. He’s got a daughter that’s around one year old. I know when you have a family your time with kids goes by fast. You want to spend time with your family, and being a football coach makes it difficult. He’s making a private decision that you can respect.”
“I want to thank all parents and families for trusting me with their kids,” Carroll said. “And all of the guys on my coaching staff, some have been with me all six (years), others for five years. They’re a great group to go and work with everyday.
“And of course I want to thank all the players I’ve coached,” Carroll said. “The kids are what made coaching fun. I wish them all the best and I will always appreciate their dedication and hard work.”
