High School football: High-ranking Colonel leaves coaching

March 20, 2008

By NICK CARBONI

The Hartford Courant

Bill Mignault called a team meeting in the Ledyard High School cafeteria on Wednesday. He wanted his players to know first.

Mignault told them he was retiring after 42 seasons as Colonels football coach, the only coach the program has had.

Mignault, 78, leaves after a championship season with 321 victories, the most in state history, 303 of them at Ledyard. His overall record was 321-130-5.

"I've been debating it," Mignault said Wednesday night. "I just think the timing is right. I'm not getting any younger, although I still feel good."

Under Mignault, Ledyard reached CIAC championship games eight times, winning in 1986, 1991, 1993 and 2007. In Ledyard's most recent championship, a 21-14 Class M victory over Berlin on Dec. 1, Mignault's grandson Marc, the Colonels' quarterback, caught the winning touchdown on a trick play with 9:19 remaining.

Mignault's 456th game would be his last.

"It was nice to win the last game," he said. "Every coach likes to win the last game."

Mignault was an old-school coach who stressed fundamentals, but as an opposing coach noted, Ledyard usually had a trick play ready.

"You could expect the unexpected," said Mike Emery, who faced Ledyard for 20 years as the coach at Montville and Fitch-Groton high schools.

Emery said he faced Mignault in the preseason jamboree and last game of most seasons.

"His teams were like night and day from the beginning to the end," Emery said. "He was so good fundamentally. It was fun coaching against him. It was a chess match that went on for years."

No replacement has been named for Mignault, who began teaching at Ledyard when the school opened in 1963. The varsity football program began in 1966. Mignault coached his sons Brian and Bill Jr., and grandsons B.K., Patrick and Marc. Brian and Bill Jr. became Ledyard assistants.

"Not many coaches get a chance to coach their own sons and have their sons come back as coaches," Mignault said, "and have a chance to coach their own grandsons."

When Mignault surpassed Trumbull's Jerry McDougall to take the lead in state coaching victories with 266 in 2001, B.K. connected on a touchdown pass with Patrick against Sport Sciences Academy of Hartford.

Mignault also credited his success to Pat Mignault, his wife of 55 years.

"She's given me direction and guidance," Mignault said.

Mignault was born in Dayville in 1929 and attended Killingly High School and UConn, where he played baseball and football. After serving in the Air Force, he was an assistant at Norwich Free Academy and the head coach at Waterford before taking over at Ledyard. He taught physical education at Ledyard until 1992. He also served as athletic director.

"We've had a lot of success over the years," Mignault said. "It's not just a result of me. It's great assistant coaches plus some wonderful kids to work with."