Posted
December 09, 2025
St. Edward High School is pleased to announce the hiring of Ken Dollaske as the new Head Varsity Soccer Coach and Physics Teacher. For more than 15 years, Dollaske has balanced life in the classroom and on the field, earning a reputation as both a dedicated educator and a championship-winning coach.
You grew up immersed in soccer. How did the game become such a big part of your life?
Soccer has always been part of my life. Growing up in Chicago, my dad was a high school soccer coach and later, an athletic director, so I grew up around the game from a very young age. Even after he stopped coaching, he volunteered with my club teams—not as the head coach, but as a steady, calming presence who was always around.
I started playing when I was really young and spent countless hours at his practices, jumping into drills and just being around the sport. When he became an AD, I was still at the school all the time. Soccer never felt like something I did—it felt like where I belonged.
As a player, I was a defender—mostly right back and what was then called a “stopper.” I loved seeing the field, organizing the back line, and communicating. That role really shaped how I understand the game.
Even later, when I wasn’t playing competitively anymore, I missed it. After college, I went right back to soccer—refereeing, then volunteer coaching at my alma mater.
What led you to teaching and coaching full-time?
I was a general engineering major at the University of Illinois. Math and science always came naturally to me, but I didn’t want to lock myself into just one discipline, so I studied a bit of everything—mechanical, civil, and electrical engineering.
After college, I worked as a civil engineer for about two years, during a time when the industry was slowing. I found myself sitting in my cubicle thinking, Is this really where I’m meant to be? It felt like the right moment to pivot.
I went back to school, earned my master’s in teaching, and became certified in math and physics. Once I stepped into the classroom, everything clicked. Teaching gave me the same sense of purpose I felt on the field—preparing, challenging, and supporting young people as they worked toward something meaningful.
Over time, I became especially proud of the work I was doing as a physics teacher—building rigorous courses, pushing students to think deeply, and seeing them leave genuinely prepared for college-level work. The most rewarding moments have been hearing from former students who tell me how confident they felt walking into demanding STEM programs. That’s when I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Is there a certain lesson that really captures how you teach?
Absolutely. One of my favorite demonstrations involves something very simple: a copper pipe and a neodymium magnet. I ask students what they think will happen when I drop the magnet through the pipe. Copper isn’t magnetic, so they expect it to fall straight through. When I drop it, though, it moves incredibly slowly—almost floating—until it finally lands in my hand. The room always goes quiet, and then you can see the curiosity kick in. What I love about that moment is that it feels like a magic trick, but it isn’t. It’s physics. That single demonstration opens the door to electromagnetic induction and helps students understand principles that explain so much of modern technology—from electric motors to power generation. For me, that’s teaching at its best. You hook students with wonder first, and then you walk them through the thinking. When they experience that kind of curiosity, the learning sticks.
You spent 13 years at Noblesville and won three straight state championships. What are you most proud of from that run?
Noblesville had never won a state title in boys soccer. I was the freshman coach for five years and then took over the varsity program. In my fifth season as head coach, we won our first state championship.
That team was incredibly talented—five Division I players and several others who could have played in college but chose to focus on academics. Winning that year was expected.
What I’m most proud of is what happened next. After that group graduated, many people assumed the program would fall off. Instead, we rebuilt and won again—and then rebuilt again and won a third time. Those teams were very different in personality and strengths. The constant wasn’t talent; it was culture.
You talk a lot about culture. What does that look like day to day?
Culture is everything. Talent matters, of course, but the glue is how a team works together.
One thing I implemented was a senior leadership program built around book studies. Each year, our rising seniors read a book together and identified themes that would define our season. One year it was An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, which emphasized preparation and attention to detail—what we called “sweating the small stuff.” Another year it was The Captain Class, which looks at leadership across great sports dynasties.
The lessons weren’t about tactics. They were about responsibility, communication, and ownership—and that leadership filtered down through the entire program.
You’ve stayed close with many former players. Why does that matter to you?
That’s the real measure of success. When former players reach out years later—for advice, recommendations, or just to share something they’re proud of—it tells me the relationship mattered.
I’ve had players pursue education careers because of conversations we had. Others have told me that something they learned through soccer helped them navigate a difficult season of life. That’s what lasts.
You’ve mentioned being a Ted Lasso fan. Has that influenced your approach to coaching—and are there teams you personally enjoy rooting for?
Absolutely. Ted Lasso resonates because it gets something fundamental right: how you treat people matters. I did have a “Believe” sign in the locker room at Noblesville, but it was never really about the sign itself. It was about creating an environment where players felt supported, challenged, and valued. When people feel trusted and connected, they tend to rise to the moment.
I’m also really interested in the direction the show has taken with the women’s team. It reinforces the idea that strong leadership transcends sport, level, or gender.
As for teams I follow, I’m a big fan of Brentford F.C. in the English Premier League—something that usually surprises people. My wife, Sheila, and I became fans almost by accident while traveling to London in 2016. We couldn’t get tickets to the larger clubs, but Brentford—then in the Championship—was affordable, so we went. We were hooked. The atmosphere, the community feel, and the way the club was built all resonated with us. I followed them through promotion to the Premier League and still make time to watch whenever I can. It feels more like rooting for a program than a brand, and that’s always appealed to me. Go Bees!
Tell us about your family. Is your son Liam a future Eagle?
He’s three, and he already loves the game, so he’s on track to be an Eagle soccer player!
My wife even bought him a full goalkeeper costume. We joke that we’re not sure we want him to be a goalkeeper—you have to be a little bit of a different breed—but he definitely has the game in his blood.
Watching him fall in love with soccer has been a reminder of why I do this in the first place.
What ultimately drew you to St. Edward—and what are you most looking forward to?
The students. They’re here to become better people—not just for themselves, but for their community. That mindset aligns perfectly with how I approach both teaching and coaching.
My wife, as well as the Eagle alumni in our family—my father-in-law Craig Seedhouse ’75 and brother-in-law Patrick Seedhouse ’08—were over the moon when this opportunity came together. Seeing their excitement made it clear how special St. Ed’s is.
I’m excited to help build something here—on the field, in the classroom, and in the lives of young men who are figuring out who they want to become.
