The New York Jets announced today that Peter Gambardella of Curtis High School in Staten Island, NY has been named this year's recipient of the New York Jets High School Coach of the Year award presented by Chase.
Through Chase's partnership, the monetary award to benefit the school's football program has doubled to $4,000. Coach Gambardella will be presented with a certificate and award ball. In addition, he is invited to watch the New York Jets play the Buffalo Bills on January 1st in Chase's suite at MetLife Stadium.
In its 21st year, the Coach of the Year award is given to a coach in the Tri-State 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 their community, their school and their student-athletes.
Coach Gambardella is a 1993 graduate of Curtis High School, where he played wide receiver, linebacker and earned all-city honors. After graduation, Gambardella went to Boston University, where he played football for three seasons. Coach Gambardella returned to Curtis High School in 1998, serving as assistant head coach of the program. After being named head coach in 2008, Gambardella began the Forward P.A.S.S. program which provides student-athletes a platform for developing transferable life-skills. In his second season, Coach Gambardella won the PSAL City Championship. In addition to his 20 seasons of coaching, Gambardella serves as the school's assistant principal.
On Sunday, December 4th, the Curtis Warriors defeated the Erasmus Hall Dutchmen, in a 24-21 comeback victory, to win the Public Schools Athletic League City Championship. They finished the season, undefeated, at 12-0 and ranked by many as the #1 team in New York City.
Previous Award Winners:
Week 1: Ryan Horan, Montclair Immaculate Conception High School, Montclair, NJ
Week 2: Ryan Baldock, Monroe-Woodbury High School, Central Valley, NY
Week 3: Rick Punzone, Babylon High School, Babylon, NY
Week 4: Keith Hellstern, Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fairfield, CT
Week 5: Keith Migliorino, Northern Highlands High School, Allendale, NJ
Week 6: Michael Lynch, Hendrick Hudson High School, Montrose, NY
Week 7: Kevin Shippos, Massapequa High School, Massapequa, NY
Week 8: Bruce Cunningham, Wilton High School, Wilton, CT
Week 9: Kevin Hennelly, West Morris Central High School, Chester, NJ
Week 10: Chris Wagner, Locust Valley High School, Locust Valley, NY
