Coach Ken Lucia has always had Chieftain blood flowing through his veins. Ken grew up in Foster-Glocester and attended Ponaganset High School, graduating as a member of the class of 1986. Ken was taken in by retired Ponaganst teacher, Mr. Richard Sousa, who allowed Kenny to live with him for his final two years so that he could finish his high school career as a Chieftain. Ken was so eager to get to school that he could be seen running to school every morning, waving to Coach Jim Caron as he ran down Anan Wade Road. Ken was an All-Division athlete in both Wrestling and Football, playing for legendary coaches Bud Balfour and Alan Yanku. Ken earned many accolades as an athlete, none more important that the role of Captain during his junior and senior years wrestling. Upon graduating in 1986, Ken joined the United States Navy. He served aboard the destroyer class USS Sellers for two years and was promoted to Petty Officer 3rd Class. Kenny was transferred to the Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he served as a prison guard and eventually a member of the Military Police. The Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland was his last stop before an honorable discharge. Ken loved growing up in Rhode Island, especially his hometown of Glocester and moved back to Chepachet following his tour in the Navy where he began his career in the RI Department of Corrections in the early 1990’s.
Kenny was eager to give back to the community that had given him so much. He began as a volunteer wrestling coach in 1991 under then Head Coach Steve Vanner and Athletic Director Allen Huestis. After a few years, Ken took over the Head Coaching duties, a role he fulfilled to the highest standard for over 20 years. Ken often opened his own home to students struggling or temporarily homeless. Even when injured, Ken refused to take a break from his Ponaganset wrestling family. He believed in grit, devotion, and sportsmanship, preaching and teaching those essential qualities to his student-athletes each and every day at practice. Ken taught more than wrestling as a Coach, he taught his kids life lessons that would guide them through adulthood. Ken’s students and teams consistently performed well on the mat, earning 7 Division Championships and a Dual Meet record of 202 wins – 118 loses.
Kenny’s legacy will be that of a dedicated coach who positively impacted hundreds of lives during his tenure as Coach at Ponaganset. Upon his retirement from the ACI in 2015 his former wrestlers showed their devotion by packing the event to honor him and the resounding influence he had on their lives, some driving 8 hours to attend.
These days Ken enjoys antiquing and frequenting antique sales while raising his four-year-old daughter and training her to be a great Chieftain Wrestler in the future.