by Caitlin Flood
Each week during the football season a coach from the tri-state area is named the New York Jets Foundation Coach of the Week. In September, football coach Jonathan Stack won the honor along with a $1,000-award for the football program.


According to the New York Jets homepage, football reporter Mike Quick and the Jets community relations panel select the coaches.
Neither Stack nor anyone affiliated with the football program  knew he was being considered. “When they called, I was so shocked,” said Stack.
Stack has changed the attitudes of the team and fans by leading the team to one of the top spots in its division.
“We’re trying to fix what has been broken here for a while,” he said while he addressed a room full of varsity players while reviewing mistakes, celebrating their individual achievements and demonstrating the coaching qualities that earned him the title.
One of the requirements for being named coach of the week is motivating the players to achieve. “[Stack] has taught me a lot as a player. Since he was a running back at the high school and I am now, we can connect and it’s always easy to ask questions. I feel comfortable playing for him and the whole staff,” said junior James Lettieri. “He is a great coach full of energy, and it rubs off on us as players.”
Stack credits his success to the team’s dedication. “It’s a tremendous honor, but more so it was nice for what the kids have done. To be down 13 to nothing in the third quarter, it’s pretty amazing,” he said, referring to this season’s opening win against Berkeley Heights on Sept. 8 “Our players gained confidence and were doing what they were coached to do. They earned that award and the reason that it was given to this program was because of what they did in their win against Governor Livingston.”
In order to be recognized by the Jets, the coach must demonstrate his understanding for the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals and dedication to his school and student athletes.
“We’re trying to establish a culture with the football program where the guys are getting to compete the entire time. One of the key things that we’re teaching them is how to become comfortable with the game,” said Stack. “Everybody on our staff, we’re all teachers. We’re hoping that we are teaching them not just the fundamentals of the game but a love and passion for the game.”
At the end of the season, each coach of the week has a chance to be named coach of the year with an additional $2,000 awarded to the winning coach’s football program.
“To win coach of the year would be nice but it’s something that’s not even a goal of mine. My goal is to make sure that our guys are prepared to play the next game and to win as many games as possible” said Stack.