Acton Boxborough Colonial Club
Dan Boylen
In 1978, Dan Boylen was named the Lowell Sun Coach of the Year for Boy's Soccer. Twenty seven years before that, Dan Boylen was a Lowell Sun All Scholastic and All State/All Scholastic in Football from Wilmington High School. The diversity of the above situation reflects Dan Boylen's remarkable athletic and coaching career. After graduating from Wilmington High in 1951, Dan attended Boston University on a football scholarship and was an outstanding student athlete for the Terriers. Dan's collegiate career was put on hold while serving his country in the United States Army. He finished his college career in 1957. Upon being hired in 1959 by fellow Hall of Famers Bill O'Connell and Ray Grey, Dan was a three sport varsity coach mentoring the soccer, basketball and baseball teams.
For twenty one years Dan coached the varsity soccer team compiling a won/loss record of 172-91-20, forming a perennial soccer powerhouse in the early sixties. Quoting former captain Tony Ammendolia..."Dan had the ability to train athletes to a high level of competition. More importantly, he built character in the athletes he coached." No less than ten of Dan's former high school soccer athletes went on to become captains in their own collegiate careers. Today the girl's soccer program is considered one of the area's finest. In a tribute to Dan's reputation, after a brief respite from the boy's soccer program, Dan was asked to coach the first girl's soccer team in 1982. A position he held for three years. After seeing the girl's program off to a successful start, Dan was summoned once again. As the boy's Junior Varsity soccer coach, he finished his illustrious coaching career with a record of 47-1-1. No one can better state what AB meant to Dan Boylen than Dan's own words. "The Acton-Boxboro student athletes have always demonstrated a sense of spirited competition, outstanding teamwork. strength of character and a sense of fairness necessary to win the respect and admiration of all regardless of win/loss statistics. It was an honor to coach them." Dan retired from teaching and coaching in 1990.