Public Has Their Say About New FHS Varsity Football Coach

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About 40 township residents showed up December 6 at Franklin High School to tell the school administration who they wanted as the next head coach of the varsity football team.

There were others in attendance who said they were agnostic about the new coach and just hoped the football program would improve, but for those with an opinion, there was no mistaking who they were backing: Current Middle School head football coach Blair Wilson.

The meeting was the manifestation of a promise made in late November by schools Superintendent John Ravally and the Board of Education to ensure that the process of picking a new head coach – replacing retiring coach John Paczkowski – was made as transparently as possible.

FHS principal Nicholas Solomon told the crowd that he appreciated them showing up and expressing their views. Other administrators in attendance were FHS athletic director Ken Margolin and assistant athletic director Anthony Brito.

Solomon said the process to pick a new head coach from the 19 applicants will begin on December 9.

Other screening rounds will be held on December 15 and 22, he said.

Margolin said the final decision will be sent to the Board of Education to vote on at their regular January 2022 meeting.

Among the values looked for in the coaching candidates, Solomon said, are:

• Vested interest in student-athletes
• Ability to connect with student-athletes
• Teaching the game of football XOs
• Connecting with our community, kids and alumni
• Building a program
• Ability to partner with feeder programs
• Being true to ourselves
• Not only developing players, but also our staff
• Commitment to the program 12 months a year

Candidates need a teaching certification or substitute teaching certification, appropriate coaching experience and must agree to a fingerprint check, Solomon said.

The Franklin Repoorter & Advocate live-streamed the forum:

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We also interviewed various participants after the forum:

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