Hamilton's final act: Others weigh in on Unity football coach's legacy

Scott Hamilton smiles in his office at Unity Junior High School on Friday afternoon in Tolono.

St.

Joseph-Ogden boys' basketball coach admits when he was younger, his disdain for Unity football was strong.

But through the years, his appreciation and relationship with recently retired Unity football coach Scott Hamilton has grown.

Kiel Duval St.

Joseph-Ogden boys' basketball coach and son of the late Dick Duval, the former SJ-O football coach When I was very young, the rivalry between SJ-O and Unity was at full force.

SJ-O people did not like Unity, and Unity people did not like SJ-O.

A lot of it had to do with how similar all the programs were.

The success that each side shared.

As a kid, I hated Unity football and everything about it.

Football was a huge part of our family, and Unity was the team that we always had the biggest games with.

I would be lying if I said that Coach Hamilton was my favorite person growing up.

When I was a kid, he was on the other side of heartbreaking losses or eventful wins.

Every game between SJ-O and Unity, there was a villain.

Coach Hamilton was that guy.

Going into high school and becoming a part of the SJ-O football program, the feelings didn't change much.

As a teacher now, I realize that nearly every high school student's story gets stretched from the truth.

We would hear "stories" about what Coach Hamilton and his players would say about SJ-O, and I'm sure in Tolono, it was very similar, but the other way around.

We built up the rivalry to be huge.

Every game with Unity was treated like the Super Bowl.

You could go 0-8, but if you win the Unity game, it was a success.

I built up these reasons in my head of why I couldn't stand them.

I was delusional at times and very irrational in my thoughts.

With my dad being the coach, and our childhood revolving around SJ-O football for so long, Coach Hamilton to me represented the obstacle in the way.

He was the obstacle that was preventing SJ-O football from reaching their goal, when in reality, that wasn't the case.

His teams were good.

They were physical.

His teams seemed like they ran the same play 100 times in a row, and I hated everything about it.

As you grow older, you grow up pretty quickly.

I became an assistant coach in 2009 and a head coach in 2018, and have learned a ton about the coaching profession during that time.

I have an enormous amount of respect for Coach Hamilton now.

I said the same thing to my dad when he finally hung it up: a person that can make it this long, in this profession, is stronger than most.

What you have to endure with parents, managing kids, balancing family and at the same time running a program at an elite level is more difficult than anyone knows.

Coach Hamilton accomplishing what he has at an elite level for this long is truly remarkable.

I'm sure if you asked him, there are always some behind-the-scenes issues he has had to deal with, but the product on the field has always been top notch.

His teams are so well-prepared.

His teams always play hard.

I think one of the biggest compliments a coach can get is he is able to get the most out of his players.

There are guys in his program that when they are freshmen or sophomores, you may think, 'That kid could be all right.' Then you see that same kid as a senior, and he is a stud.

That says a lot.

One story sticks out the most, though.

I was in my second or third year as the SJ-O boys' basketball head coach.

My dad had just passed away that year.

We were playing in the regional final against Unity.

Before the game, I'm a nervous wreck, and I think Coach Hamilton could sense it.

Like always, he asked about my sisters.

He asked about my mom.

We talked for a few minutes.

He finally said, 'I think about him all the time, ya know.' I responded with, 'Me, too.' He then said, 'No matter what happens, I know he's proud of you.' I shook my head.

I had to walk away to avoid tearing up.

They had become pretty close over the last few years of my dad's life and even when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, they talked all the time.

His message to me was genuine.

Coach Hamilton is not only a great coach, but he is a great person.

From left, Taylor Hamilton, Kim Hamilton, Scott Hamilton, Anna Hamilton, Taylor Murphy and Brian Murphy at Hicks Field in Tolono after the Unity football team defeated Monticello 42-28 in the final regular-season game of the 2024 season.

Scott Hamilton retired on Tuesday after coaching the Rockets the past 31 seasons.

Kim Hamilton Scott Hamilton's wife It's hard for me to believe that I am writing this.

When we moved here, it was just the two of us.

We knew no one.

Had no family here.

And 31 years later, this is our home and we have this tremendous group of people that is our football family.

I pretty much believed when I married Scott that I'd be 80 years old sitting in the stands watching this old man hobble down the field coaching.

I laugh when I look back when our girls were little.

I'd load them up in the car in their pajamas and bring them to the school to say goodnight to their dad because after football practice, he'd always have to supervise something.

I used to laugh at him and say, 'If Scott Hamilton wasnt at the school, the bells would not ring and school would not start.

Our girls have never experienced a Friday night in the fall without Rocket football unless they were in college or working.

They were born into it.

We surrounded ourselves with a group of people who became our family, that babysat our kids, and who our kids now babysit theirs.

We vacation together, have been in each other's weddings and take care of each other when something happens.

Scott has worn many hats.

Some that I am not sure he's truly realized he's worn.

He thinks he was doing his job, doing what he loves.

He loves coaching the kids, loves watching when kids "get it", loves it when they become a team, get better and understand the process.

He was never one for running them into the ground or making them practice for hours but he had expectations high expectations and there were times when I said, 'You think you were too hard on them?' His reply was usually, 'This is how they learn and they'll get it.' What I am not sure people truly understand is the time and energy that really goes into coaching.

It's not just practice and games.

It's so much more than that.

Its the heart.

The worry.

When someone got hurt, he wasnt worried who was going to fill the position.

He was worried about that person and what the outcome was.

There were some where hed come home and say, 'Im not sure how much longer I can do this when kids get hurt like that.' After every game, he'd tell his players, 'Be safe, be smart, take care of each other.' And he meant every word.

Coaching is offseason lifting.

Conferences.

Writing plays on our kitchen chalk board and every piece of paper in our house.

It's hours and hours of film by watching it, breaking it down and doing stats.

It's meetings after practice.

Practice plans.

Watching practice.

Communicating with the kids in season and in the offseason.

He took tremendous pride in everything he did.

He's received a lot of recognition and awards and has been honored and humbled by each and every one.

He gives much of the credit and praise to the amazing coaching staff that accompanies him on the sidelines and on top of the press box each and every week.

He stopped telling me about some of his recognitions until right before so that I wouldnt throw him a party because I like throwing parties.

During the regular season, he never missed a family dinner on Sundays even with his Sunday meetings.

Our neighbors called the Sunday meetings, the Sunday Summit.

When we lost which thankfully wasnt that much he was just quiet.

Wouldnt talk, and family knew to just not call.

But he loves the kids, loves the game, loves the community and loves Unity.

He dedicated himself and gave it everything he had.

He has loved every single aspect of his job and would change very little.

Lauren Hamilton Scott Hamilton's oldest daughter I remember going off to college and explaining to my friends why high school football was so important to me.

It wasnt just high school football, it was Unity football.

My entire life, it has been all I have known.

My dad would go to school after making sure he saw us in the morning, work all day, go to practice and then come home to have a family dinner before working well into the night on the practice plan for the next day and the game plan for the week.

He made it a priority to get away as a family before football season started to spend quality time together before things got busy and we only saw him for a few hours throughout the week.

He made sure that we had family here in Tolono and always felt supported.

Many people might have heard about the Unity football family and that is exactly what it is.

The coaches, past and present, and this community have become our biggest supporters.

They're he people we call to share exciting news, when we need advice and when we need support after a tough time.

The football family are the people that are at every life event, big or small.

Throughout this time, my sisters and I have been able to experience first-hand what a successful marriage takes: support and love.

Over the last 31 years, you could find my mom in the stands, at the 50-yard line, cheering on my dad and his team.

She has been there through good times and the not so good times.

She spent hours driving to games to support my dad and his team.

After each game, win or lose, she was first on the field to show her support.

Looking back at my dads career at Unity, all I can think of is how proud I am to be the daughter of Scott Hamilton, on the good and bad days.

I feel extremely blessed that 31 years ago my parents made the decision to move to a town named Tolono and start a life there.

Because of this decision that was made, I have felt nothing more than blessed.

Thank you, Dad.

For everything.

I wouldnt change this life we have lived for anything.

Go enjoy retirement because you deserve it.

I love you.

Taylor Murphy Scott Hamilton's middle daughter While some think its just high school football, to us, it was always much more.

For our family it was building and being a part of a group of people who became our family and support system.

It was also seeing my dad pour his heart into and have commitment to the kids that played every Friday night.

For my sisters and I, it was watching my mom and dad do stats together on Sundays, which was an example of my parents always supporting, being there for and making time for each other.

That is something I aspire for my own marriage.

I will never forget the Cardinals games my dad took us three girls on every year before football got busy, all of the homecoming parades, every single one of the hugs after a game and all of the post-game dinners with our coaches family.

Its very bittersweet watching this era come to an end, however, my dad greatly deserves to enjoy every second of retirement filled with golf, ice-cold Bud Light, watching the Unity Rockets from the sidelines and enjoying the legacy that he built.

Itll always be great to be a Rocket.

Brian Murphy Scott Hamilton's son-in-law I watched from the outside for years growing up as Champaign kid and graduating from Central High School.

It was impressive every year to see Unity reload and go on deep playoff runs.

We never came close to anything that Unity was able to do time and time again.

The last couple years have been fun to watch Scott and his girls enjoy the wins together.

Now, he gets to enjoy the next stage of life.

Plenty of golf will be had, beaches and Bud Light.

Congrats Coach! Anna Hamilton Scott Hamilton's youngest daughter The end of a chapter I never wanted to think about ending has finally arrived.

The last 19 years of my life have been surrounded by Unity football.

It has been all I have ever known.

I'll never forget all of the hugs after a win or loss, gatherings with our football family or even running the halls of Unity at basketball, volleyball or any other event.

Our dad taught us the value of fully investing in whatever we commit to, and he poured that dedication into Unity.

Seeing the impact he's had on this community brings me so much joy.

Its humbling to witness how many lives hes touched not just as a coach, but as a person.

Our mom has been our dads No.

1 and best friend for the last 31 years and has been the glue that holds this entire crew together.

Watching my mom support her best friend is something I will always love and cherish the most.

They have truly raised us in the best environment and have given us memories and introduced us to people we will have in our lives forever.

My dad's 31 years of dedication to Unity is a testament to his character, and we are so proud to have him as our biggest role model.

What started as just my mom and dad has grown over the years.

Three daughters and a son-in-law, coaches, their wives and children, and everyone else involved with Unity football.

Over time, we have all become one big family.

The football family.

The love, support, vacations and memories we've shared are treasures I will hold onto forever.

Whether the coaches are still at Unity or have moved on to new chapters in their lives, they will always be a part of our family.

There isn't a single thing I would change about this journey.

I cant wait for all the new traditions our family will create.

I see lots of Florida sun and beaches in your future, dad.

Can't forget golfing with the coaches, the Blues/Cardinals games with your four girls and new son-in-law, and cheering on those Rockets from the top of the press box.

Dad, you will always be our Coach Scotty.

Enjoy retirement.

We love you! St.

Joseph-Ogden football coach Shawn Skinner addresses his team during a practice in the 2024 season.

Shawn Skinner St.

Joseph-Ogden football coach whose Spartans beat Unity 24-21 in Week 2 this past season, only for the Rockets to hand them a 35-7 loss in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs has coached against Hamilton since getting the SJ-O job in 2016: When we prepared to play Coach Hamilton's teams, we always knew they were going to establish themselves physically first.

They wanted to be the more physical team.

It didn't matter if they had a running quarterback or a passing quarterback.

The first thing they were going to do, in all three phases, was establish their physicality.

You had to prepare for that or you didn't stand a chance.

The next thing is you knew they weren't going to beat themselves.

Not from a turnover aspect.

They weren't afraid to get some penalties because playing that physical style of football will lend itself to getting some penalties.

But you weren't going to turn them over, so you had better not give them extra opportunities by not protecting the football.

Andy Romine has led the Tuscola football program to eight playoff berths in his 10 seasons coaching the Warriors.

Andy Romine Tuscola football coach since 2015 Consistency and adaptable come to mind for me.

I saw him move from the flex-bone triple-option offense he had ran from 1994 through 2008 into the spread in 2009, and they didn't miss a beat.

He can teach football of any style, and the consistency of his staff and ways of teaching are so detailed.

He has taught me and many coaches a lot just from paying attention to him and his practice structure.

I always appreciated his ability to share and open practices to us as we always did for them.

He's well-respected in all parts of the state, and one of the best to do it in this area and in this state.

Former Unity quarterback Blake Kimball Blake Kimball Former Unity quarterback and The News-Gazette's fall 2021 All-Area Player of the Year I played under Coach Hamilton for four years, and worked the sideline with him my whole life as a ball boy.

Scott can be summed up into a few words from my perspective, and those words are poised, confident and a leader.

He always knew how he wanted things and when he wanted them.

He was really good at perfecting the little things, and I think thats why his football program succeeded year after year.

He always made you feel calm on the field, due to his demeanor, and system.

You always felt like everything was under control, and that speaks volumes about the program he built.

You always felt you were going to thrive under him.

Congrats on an awesome career.

It was a pleasure to get to play under you.

Jason Henry Former Unity football player who has an IHSA record of 28 career interceptions with the Rockets and whose twin sons, Brayden and Tyler, both now play for the Rockets Coach Hamilton's first season was my freshman year.

He had a history of success at his previous coaching spots, so we all just did what he asked because we were hungry for success.

As the wins piled up, it was evident that the culture was changing.

Friday nights meant Rocket football, and it was the place to be.

Playing for coach was something special.

He expected you to know your responsibilities and assignments and held you accountable.

He understood that every Friday night was important, but the ultimate goal was to get in the playoffs and play for a title.

Having my sons play for him is something that I will always cherish.

Its not something that happens very often, especially nowadays.

They have told me that they hear stories from Coach hamilton and Coach Fink from when I was playing.

They hear jokes quite a bit if they drop the ball and they will hear from the coaches that I wouldnt have dropped the ball.

Its all in good fun.

Unity football in the past was known for coach Oscar hicks.

The past 30 years and beyond will be known for Scott Hamilton and the aura that surrounds Unity football.

Ive told my sons that Ive played in many high school and college games, but there is just something about a Friday night under the lights at Hicks Field that makes it so special.

Coach Hamilton created that environment and filled countless players, coaches and fans memory banks with unforgettable moments that will last a lifetime.

Tim Gateley Former Unity coach and administrator I was fortunate enough to work with Scott for 20 years as administrators and as head coaches.

Our roles and responsibilities crossed often, especially during the pandemic.

Scott was an advocate for all student-athletes and all sports, and he made Unit 7 a better place for having been there.

Congratulations, Scott.

See you in the golf cart! Andy Larson Unity Superintendent from 2010-2024 Hes just dedicated.

He made everything better for every kid there in every sport.

I know a lot of people think that it was just all about football for him, and that couldnt be further from the truth.

What I appreciated about working with him more than anything was just the dedication of making that place better.

We worked well together in upgrading facilities and we did everything we could to make that place the best place for our kids.

That was always his No.

1 focus.

He was a tactician beyond imagination with finding ways to win on the football field, but it gave him as much satisfaction to see our wrestlers do well, our girls cross-country team do well.

You say Unity, you say Scott Hamilton.

What people dont understand about him is he really is an all-encompassing individual.

I was at Heritage from 2003-09 and I took over at Unity in 2010 and just retired in 2024.

For us to build a relationship the way we did working together to get the things accomplished with a fantastic board of education just spoke volumes about his leadership skills.

He was there for kids, but he also held them to high standards.

Not many superintendents get to say they stand on the state championship field even once in their career.

I got to do it multiple times.

I was aware of him when I was at Heritage because I was only about 12 cornfields to the east.

The night I was hired, he was at the board meeting and he talked to my youngest son.

He just had a way to have a presence with student-athletes.

People may not have always agreed with how he went about business, but you certainly respected it.

That was the first time I got a feel for who Scott Hamilton was, and he put my kid first for.

Im very happy for him.

Im sad for Unity.

Hes been such a rock for them for so long.

What a career.

What a outstanding human being.

Nick Lindsey was a Unity football assistant coach for six seasons in the 2010s before coaching the Arcola football team for six seasons.

Nick Lindsey Arcola principal and athletic director who was a Unity assistant coach from 2010-16 before spending six seasons as the Arcola football coach I remember our first practice and having expectations of an environment where people were yelling and screaming because that is what I thought was done at highly successful programs.

However, it was not that at all.

What I took away from that practice was the amount of teaching that went on.

Our kids wanted to be there, wanted to work and get better, and that starts with Scott.

He always was looking for ways to improve and get better each offseason.

I think he did that not only for getting answers to struggles of the previous year, but also to keep the staff and himself engaged and being excited to teach something new or different.

There are not very many people who can sustain what he has for that long of a period of time, if any.

I was extremely lucky to be able to learn from him on what it takes to build and sustain a program.

Another thing that goes a long way is how much he and his wife, Kim, do to create a family environment and keep the staff around.

My wife, Morgan, and I still consider Scott, Kim, Lauren, Taylor and Anna, as well as the other staff and their families, a part of our family..

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