September 23, 2016 -- The New York Jets announced today that Rick Punzone of Babylon High School has been named this week's recipient of the New York Jets High School Coach of the Week award presented by Chase. Through Chase's partnership, the monetary award to benefit the school's football program has doubled to $2,000. Coach Punzone 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 Week 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 Punzone is a 1981 graduate of Walt Whitman High School, where he played running back and linebacker and went on to play at SUNY Albany, starting at tailback for three years and winning the ECAC Division-III Championship as a senior. Punzone has coached at Babylon High School for 27 years, with 14 seasons spent as head coach. He was the fastest coach in Long Island history to reach the 100-wins mark. In addition to his coaching duties, Punzone teaches mathematics at Babylon Grade School and coaches girls varsity softball.
On Friday, September 16th, the Babylon Panthers defeated Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats, 27-21 (OT), in a thrilling overtime affair, raising their record to 2-0 for the season and snapping Shoreham's 25-game winning streak. Their next game will be a conference game, at home against the Greenport-Southold-Mattituck Porters on Friday, September 23rd at 6 P.M.
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
