William J. Hyland, a highly respected educator and coach, graduated from Bristol High School in 1947. He was captain of the football team in his senior year.

During the 1960’s he became one of the founding coaches of the Bristol Midget Football League and then went on to help establish the football program at St. Paul Catholic High School. During the 1970’s and 1980’s he was a football assistant at St. Paul and at Bristol Eastern at separate times.

At St. Paul he also coached varsity wrestling, girls tennis and basketball, boys tennis, freshman boys basketball, outdoor track and golf. He took up running in the 1960’s and continued to run until the day he died in 1996.

He participated in the Boston Marathon 18 times. The Bristol Tack Club’s annual Bill Hyland memorial 5-K race was named in his honor.

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