The New York Jets announced today that Mark Zielinski of North Brunswick High School in North Brunswick, N.J., has been named this week's recipient of the New York Jets High School Coach of the Week Award. For his efforts, he will receive $1,000 to benefit the school's football program, and he will be presented with a certificate from the Jets.
The award, in its 15th year, is given to a coach in the tristate area who serves the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve, and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to the community, the school and the student-athletes.
Zielinski is in his 17th season of coaching football and his eighth season as head coach of the Raiders. He twice led them to the state playoffs and was named Greater Middlesex Conference White Division Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the team to a division title. Zielinski earned all-county honors as a linebacker, was named all-state centerfielder in baseball and won a state championship as the starting forward on the basketball team at Rutherford High School, class of '85. He graduated from Columbia with a B.A. in history while earning All-Ivy League honorable mention as a linebacker in '88.
Last Saturday North Brunswick defeated Pennsauken, 36-33, to earn the school's first playoff victory in 31 years. On Friday night the Raiders will go on the road to face the Brick Memorial Mustangs in the Central Group 4 semifinals.
