A side door flies open over a recent noon hour, releasing a wave of second graders as if shot out of a cannon. The youngsters run pell-mell toward the all-weather soccer field on the distal end of Christ the King School in Little Rock, ready to burn off some of their abundant energy.
“Who wants to play KICKBALL!” roars a trim, white-haired man in a jogging suit, waiting for them.
The youngsters know the drill and dutifully line up on one of the painted stripes as playground monitor Thomas Houlihan picks captains who choose teams. In a wink, the game is on. It is a favorite of the Bears’ second graders but no more so than Houlihan himself.
“This is the best gig I’ve ever done,” he said, beaming. “They pay me a hot meal, and I absolutely love it. These kids give me energy.”
Houlihan is no stranger to the parish; the cradle Catholic and native of Illinois came to Little Rock in the late 1970s, where he co-owned Burger King franchises and worked for institutional food suppliers in his working life. His arrival in Arkansas predated Christ the King School by several years, during which time the Houlihan kids attended St. Edward School.
Once the west Little Rock elementary school opened, Thomas and his wife, Patricia, had their three boys at the head of the line.
“All three of my sons graduated from Christ the King, but Mike didn’t start until third grade,” he said. “He was a member of the first third-grade class and went through eighth grade. Richie was one year behind; he started in second grade at Christ the King and then Kevin, the youngest, was in the first kindergarten class that (now principal) Kathy House taught. Kevin was the first class that went from kindergarten all the way up through eighth grade.”
Despite the demands of running a thriving business, Houlihan was a devoted father who participated in his sons’ activities, particularly when it came to sports.
“I coached them at Penick Boys Club when they were 5, 6, 7 and 8 and up until they were allowed to get into fifth grade and play for Christ the King,” he said. “I coached all three of my sons in football and basketball, and that’s before Christ the King had a gymnasium. We used to rent First Christian Church, which is located over on Mississippi. They have a gymnasium in their basement, and that’s what we used to rent three times a week.
Eventually, football, basketball and other youth sports gave way to high school activities and then adulthood for the three Houlihan boys, just as burgers, fries and sales routes eventually gave way to retirement for Thomas in 2018. That is, until a fateful Mass over Labor Day in 2023.
“My wife and I went to Christ the King for 5 o’clock Mass on Saturday, and she picked up an extra bulletin,” he said. “She said, ‘You know what? You need a new hobby; get off the couch.’ This is my second year on the playground.”
To watch Houlihan run his charges gives one a hint of how organized and informed his practices must have been back in his coaching days. Whatever the game, everyone is treated to an enthusiastic and organized noontime outing, his Kindergarteners and first graders being more prone to play soccer while second through fifth grades lean into the school’s unofficially official sport.
“They love kickball,” Houlihan said. “I try to make it special, you know, I let the kids have captains. Some days, I say, girls, let’s have girl power against the boys and they go absolutely nuts, you know?”
Watching the 72-year-old scamper around with the kids three days a week is to see a man in pure bliss. His patter never stops, cheering for batters, shouting “safe” and “out,” encouraging great plays and good tries alike. The only time he tones it down some is in the presence of his two grandsons, not wanting, in his words, to “cramp their style.”
“I get to see my grandsons every day I work,” he said. “I told them, ‘Hey, I won’t embarrass you, I promise. If you don’t wanna say hi or just gimme a wink or gimme a high five or something, I’ll let you be.”
For every other kid, it seems, all bets are off. Everyone he calls by name, although he admits he knows few of their last names. No matter; on Coach Houlihan’s playground, every child is addressed like a member of the family.
“Some of the kids say, ‘Well, Coach, how long have you been here? How old are you, coach?’” he said. “And I say, well, I bet I know all your mommies and daddies that went through school here. It just blows their minds that I’ve been here that long.”
Houlihan’s presence commands respect, too ― argued calls or fights over who gets to pitch are unheard of ― something for which the old coach gives credit to the institution itself.
“I believe in Christ the King School,” he said. “I think the total respect for authority is always there. I just believe in it.”
Houlihan is quick to call out his fellow retirees to seek out such activities and keep themselves active. The schools need manpower, he said, and the rewards for investing a little time are many.
“Hey, I work for hugs and high fives, and the smiles on those kids that they give me. Oh, that’s awesome,” he said. “I enjoy being with those little kiddos. I mean, I’m a grandpa. I love being with kids.”
At this, his voice breaks, and it takes a moment to get it back.
“This past year has been tough because I’ve had some health problems, but all of that is in the past,” he said at last. “I’ve always believed a healthy body makes for a healthy mind. Those kids really give me more than I give them.”
