Monday, October 02, 2000
Legendary high school coach dies
Hillard produced champions at Lincoln Heights, Princeton
By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WOODLAWN — By the time he retired in 1988, John W. Hillard, assistant principal and head basketball coach at Lincoln Heights and Princeton high schools, had been named “Coach of the Year” by six organizations.
His basketball teams won six district, three regional and one state championship.
To his daughter, Lori Hillard Smith of Forest Park, he was more than an award-winning coach.
He was a compassionate Samaritan who enriched the lives of his students and his family with his selfless acts of kindness.
“If the kids on his team needed help in their lives he would give it.
“And he always told his children, "If you get an opportunity to do something for somebody — take it,'” Ms. Hillard Smith said.
Mr. Hillard died Wednesday of complications from heart problems.
The Woodlawn resident was 72.
After graduating from Lockland-Wayne High School at age 16, Mr. Hillard continued his education at Tennessee State University on a full basketball scholarship.
He graduated with a bachelor's in education in the late 1940s.
Immediately after graduating, he went into the Army. He served with the 101st Airborne Division for two years.
Mr. Hillard returned to the Tristate after discharge, settling in Hamilton and accepting a position as director of the Booker T. Washington Community Center. He remained director for eight years.
In 1960, Mr. Hillard — married to Hazel Evans and a father — moved to Cincinnati and began working for the old Lincoln Heights school district.
He taught physical education, health, science and biology, in addition to coaching football, basketball and track.
During this time, he earned a master's in education from the University of Cincinnati.
In the mid-'60s, Mr. Hillard became assistant principal of Lincoln Heights High School.
In the years that followed, he was named Ohio Coach of the Year and, in 1969, Cincinnati Coach of the Year.
In 1970, Mr. Hillard became the assistant principal and head basketball coach at Princeton High School.
During his years there, he was named GMC Coach of the Year, Hamilton County Coach of the Year, Greater Cincinnati Coach of the Year and Ohio Coach of the Year.
In addition to his career in education, Mr. Hillard was appointed to the National Red Cross Aquatic Staff and was the director of the South Aquatic School.
He directed a special aquatic program for training lifeguards and pool managers that certified them for employment in the city of Cincinnati.
His local efforts with the Red Cross received national attention when he was invited to present his new aquatic program to the National Red Cross at its annual meeting.
After his retirement, he enjoyed golfing and was an avid fisherman.
His daughter said he also enjoyed “shooting the breeze” with family and friends — many of whom he knew since his days at Lockland-Wayne High School.
His family said his most important accomplishment as a youth was becoming an Eagle Scout.
He was the first African-American Eagle Scout in a region that included Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.
In addition to his wife and daughter, surviving are his mother, Elaine Hillard of Finneytown; two sons, John Jr. of Washington, D.C., and Tanis Mark Hillard of Mount Healthy; five grandchildren and seven great grand-children.
Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today at Thompson, Hall & Jordan Funeral Home, 11400 Winton Road in Forest Park.
The service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Simon of Cyrene Episcopal Church, 810 Matthews Drive in Lincoln Heights.
Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton.
Memorials can be made to the American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati 45219.
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Legendary high school coach dies
