A coach is someone who brings out the best in you. Professional sports coaches are renowned for driving athletes to give 100%, then turn around and give a 100% more. The 10 coaches in this list are no exception, and each one of them was blessed with the birth name Ken.
- Ken Carter – Very few coaches can claim the distinction of having a movie made about them, but Ken Carter can. In 2005, the basketball coach was played by Samuel L. Jackson in the movie Coach Carter. The values that Carter set down for his college team during the 1999 season, mixing a solid grounding in academics with performance on the field, were the main subject of the movie that made him famous.
- Kenneth S. Hitchcock – Currently coaching the St. Louis Blues, Hitchcock is an NHL coach and pro scout. In 1999, he coached the Dallas Stars to victory in the Stanley Cup, and has also acted as head coach for the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Kenneth S. Hitchcock, or “Hitch” as he’s better known, is a native of Western Canada.
- Ken Mushinskie – Until early 2013, Ken Mushinskie was the coach for the Beckman High School Patriots. After only two seasons with the team, he was forced to retire, citing a dispute of the direction the team was going. For the two seasons that Ken spent with the team, the Patriots had a record of 14-11, and he led them to the CIF Southern Division title game in 2011.
- Ken Whisenhunt – The San Diego Chargers is where Whisenhunt currently hangs his hat, however, from 2007 – 2012 he was the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals. During his time with the Cardinals, Ken brought the team to the Super Bowl in 2008, which marked the first time in their history. Earlier coaching roles included the Baltimore Ravens (1997–1998), Cleveland Browns (1999), New York Jets (2000) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (2001–2003).
- Ken Shamrock – Opposite his upcoming opponent, Tito Ortiz, who he was set to fight at UFC 61, Shamrock acted as head coach on the third season of the franchise reality TV competition The Ultimate Fighter. Team Ortiz dominated the competition, which was to become an omen of future for Shamrock at the main event. Ortiz beat Ken, effectively heralding the end of Shamrock’s UFC career.
- Kenny Adams – An amateur boxer in his own right, Adams helped the U.S. team bring back nine gold medals from the 1984 Olympic games. In 1989, Kenny coached French fighter Rene Jacquot to victory against Donald Curry. He has also coached B.J. Flores, Michael Nunn and Ray Mercer.
- Ken Niumatalolo – The United States Naval Academy is proud to have Ken Niumatalolo currently serving in the position of head coach. Ken came up through the ranks of college football as a quarterback, when he played for University of Hawaii. When he wasn’t playing football, Niumatalolo was pursuing his other love on the basketball court. He took on the position of head coach with the Naval Academy on December 8, 2007.
- Ken Wood – With over four decades of coaching under his belt, Wood has helped a number of world champion-caliber swimmers achieve gold. He is currently acting as the head coach at Redcliffe Leagues Swimming Club in Queensland, Australia. Wood faced controversy after the 2008 Summer Olympics, due to one of his swimmers leaving his camp. The swimmer in question, Jessicah Schipper, left because he sold her training regime to rival Liu Zige of China. The move cost Schipper her 200m Butterfly world record and a defeat at the hands of Zige.
- Ken Chertow – This American wrestler competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Chertow now runs extensive wrestling training camps throughout the U.S., which have produced a number of college wrestling champions. He dedicates most of his time to perfecting his program, which he also promotes across the country. Ken has won a number of titles in the sport, including the Olympic Festival Champion and the Tulsa National Team Championship.
- Kenny Dalglish – One of the best known names in British soccer, Dalglish was instrumental in the coaching style of Liverpool FC. Kenny became player-manager for the side in 1985. Among some of the titles that Kenny won as a player with Liverpool are six Football League First Divisions, two FA Cups and four League Cups. He resigned in 1991, only to return as manager from May 2011 until he was released in May 2012.