The New York Giants have selected Mr. Tony DeMatteo of Somers High School (Lincolndale, NY) as "The Lou Rettino High School Football Coach of the Week" for the week of October 29, 2012. Coach DeMatteo celebrated his 300th career win at the game on Thursday night when the Somers Tuskers defeated the Hendrick Hudson Sailors, 34-7.
In recognition of Coach DeMatteo's success and commitment, he will receive a certificate of recognition signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin and a $1,000 check will be granted to the Tuskers football program. Coach DeMatteo will be acknowledged by a stadium announcement when the Giants host the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 4th and an announcement will also be posted on the Giants website, www.giants.com.
The Lou Rettino High School Football Coach of the Week Award is part of the Giants' continuing effort to promote youth football. The Giants elected to name the award in memory of former Union High School (NJ) coach, Lou Rettino, for his fine commitment to the game of football, his community and the betterment of his athletes' lives.
Each week during the 2012 high school football season, the Giants will select one area high school head coach as the Coach of the Week winner. The selection is based on the coach's continuing commitment towards promoting youth football, developing motivated student-athletes and his overall community involvement. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, the Giants will choose a Coach of the Year. That coach will receive $2,000 for their school's football program. They will also be invited to attend a dinner hosted by the Giants.
Coach DeMatteo's football career record is 301-84-1 and is currently the most successful coach in Westchester High School history. He has the most wins in Yonkers City history and was ranked 23rd in the USA Today Top 25 Poll. Coach DeMatteo was the first recipient of the Frank McQuire Award with a $10,000 grant to his high school for being the best coach and teacher in the tri-state area. In addition, he was the Grand Marshall of the Columbus Day Parade in 1992, was inducted into the Westchester County Hall of Fame and the Yonkers Hall of Fame in 1993, was inducted into the Stepinac High School Hall of Fame in 1994, was the New York State Coach of the Year in 1996, the Kiwanis Club Man of the Year in 1997, the YMCA Man of the Year in 1997, the Heisman Trophy HS Legends of Coaching Award Winner in 1997, was inducted into the Somers Education Foundation in 1999, was inducted into the Stepinac Hall of Fame in 1998, was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2003 and was inducted into the Somers Hall of Fame in 2005. Coach DeMatteo has won 9 county and regional championships and won the NY State Football Championship in 1996.
Coach DeMatteo has been asked to speak for many audiences at colleges, corporations and coaches clinics. He has appeared on NBC's A Closer Look, Fox's Current Affair and MSG's Brian Gumble Show. He recently spoke at the McGuire Foundation's Coaches Clinic along with Bill Belichick, Head Coach for the New England Patriots. In addition, the high school where he coached at for 30 years named their stadium in his honor, the Tony DeMatteo Field and in 1999, Governor Pataki renamed the Cross County Parkway in Yonkers the Tony & Don DeMatteo Parkway. The Section I Bowl Game was named the Tony DeMatteo Bowl in his honor and he was picked as one of the top coaches in America by the National High School Coaches Association.
Coach DeMatteo received his BS and Masters in Education and Administration and has been an educator, coach, mentor and administrator for 40 years. His program isn't about developing professional athletes… it is about teaching ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
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