Coach O'Connor coached for 31 years at Woburn Memorial High School. Prior, he was Head Coach of Cross Country, Indoor, and Outdoor Track at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, MA, for 14 seasons, where his team won Central MA Championships in all three seasons. Several of his runners won State, New England, or National titles at the high school, college, or open level. Coach O'Connor's first 30 years as a coach in Woburn were very successful. His Cross Country teams combined for a record of 307-219. His career record for XC is 415-275. Collectively, his teams won won eight Middlesex League Championships, several Invitationals, two Eastern MA Division I Championships, and had 10 State Finalist Teams. In addition, his program produced eight Boston Globe and Herald All-Scholastics and 20 Daily Times Chronicle "Performers of the Year." His record as a head coach in Indoor Track is 135-72-4. Coach O'Connor was honored in 1995 as the Boston Globe's All-Scholastic "Coach of the Year" for Girls Cross Country. In addition, he was named the Daily Times Chronicle "Coach of the Year" for Fall Sports in 1988 and 1994, and in his 44th year of coaching, he was named Eastern MA Girls Indoor Track Coach of the Year. In 1997 he had a foot bridge at Horn Pond named in his honor for his dedication and commitment to Woburn's running programs. In 1999 he was inducted into the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in April of 2001, the new Indoor Track at the Joyce Middle School in Woburn was named in his honor. In 2008 he was instrumental in the Boys Indoor Track team winning their first ever All-State Championship and directly responsible for the Boys 4x400m relay team winning the National Championship. He was inducted into the Algonquin Regional Hall of Fame in 2011. Competitively, he ran for Woburn High and Northeastern University. He is also the Founder and Director of the popular Summer Fun-Runs held at Horn Pond. He was also the inaugural coach of the Shamrock Running Club for 13 years. He held a B.S. and Masters Degree in Physical Education, Health, and General Science. He retired after 34 years as a teacher in the Northborough-Southborough Public School system. Up until his passing in October 2016, Coach O'Connor was integral to the success of the entire Woburn Cross Country and Track program, and anyone associated to those programs owe he and his family a substantial debt of gratitude.
Inducted: 1999