Springfield College alumnus Matthew Hawes (class of 1980) wrote this poem for Coach Douglas E. Parker, Jr. on June 16, 1990. The poem honors his achievements and pays tribute to his coaching style. As a coach at Springfield College from 1951 to 1990, Douglas E. Parker compiled a career record of 518-169-11. This total includes his stint as Freshman and Junior Varsity head coach from 1951 to 1955. From 1955 to 1990 he served as Varsity Head Coach with a record of 485-159-11. In his thirty-five years as head coach at Springfield College, he never had a losing season and was named New England “Coach of the Year” three times. Parker won twenty-one New England titles in his twenty-three years in the league and produced twenty-four All-Americans, including 1984 Olympic gold medalist Jeff Blatnick. His wrestling team won the 1979 and 1980 NCAA Division II Eastern Regional championship. Parker was a member of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 1999, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum awarded Doug Parker the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award in recognition for his years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in young people.
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