The New York Jets announced today that Shawn O'Connor of Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been named the recipient of the New York Jets' 2011 High School Coach of the Year Award. For his efforts, O'Connor will receive $2,000 to benefit the school's football program and will be presented with a certificate from the Jets.
The award, in its 16th year, is given to coaches in the tristate area who serve 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 their community, their school and their student-athletes.
Coach O'Connor is in his 12th season as head coach of the Railsplitters. O'Connor was captain of his Lafayette High School football team in 1987. He immediately began his coaching career, while attending college, at Lafayette as an assistant coach from 1988-96.
On Tuesday, Lincoln defeated the Erasmus Hall Dutchmen, 20-12, to win the P.S.A.L. Championship Division city title. The Railsplitters end the year winning 25 of their last 26 games dating to last season, when they fell short in the championship game. This is their first city title since 1992. The victory also gave O'Connor his 70th overall win as a head coach, including postseason.
