by Alyssa Mata

“First and foremost, our goal is to beat Colonia.” And so begins the career of Mr. Coleman, the Woodbridge High School football program’s newest head coach.

With Coach Nyers’ recent retirement, Mr. Coleman, a chemistry teacher at WHS, was named to the position during the Board of Education meeting February 18, 2016.

Mr. Coleman has 14 years of coaching experience, beginning at Snyder High School in Jersey City, which is the school he attended, before going to South Plainfield High School to be an assistant coach under Coach Nyers, and later Coach Robinson, for six years. Then, he went to Bishop Ahr High School for a year before coming to WHS.

As a detail-orientated individual, Coach Coleman wants everyone to know that the team is going to “be prepared and ready to go,” and that, through discipline, they will prevail.

The school’s Athletic Director, Mr. Ward, expects Mr. Coleman “to continue to be the hard worker he is, and to do the very best he can for the team.” Mr. Ward is excited about the future of the football program and Coach Coleman.

“The fact that he has been an assistant here for the past three years, he’s familiar with Woodbridge High School, and the student-athletes, and the way we like to do things here,” Mr. Ward said.

Coach Coleman’s outlook is to not only to coach a team but also coach a family. “I expect [the players] to work hard, and give 100 percent, and to never quit, and to have commitment to the community, and to conduct themselves as great citizens outside and inside the building.”

Coach Coleman is very excited about the season, and clearly has eyes to beat Colonia. Otherwise, his goals are to win the division, with a long-term goal of winning a state champion.