from RHS website
Coach Chuck Johnson grateful for support
Friday, December 20, 2013
The Ridgewood News
Football coach grateful for support
Coach Chuck Johnson
Ridgewood High School footbal
To the editor:
I want to thank the students (especially the illustrious class of 2014 — our seniors — you know I love you guys), our administration, our parents, our Ridgewood football alumni, and our entire village for the incredible support, encouragement and enthusiasm given to our 2013 Maroons Football Team throughout our magical season.
I personally was the recipient of so many voicemails, e-mails (the furthest away from Sydney, Australia) and personal contacts. It was amazing to hear about a pre-game tailgate from our Scholarship Committee President Jacque Peay that encompassed “over 1,000 people.” To see, hear and feel the energy Saturday night at MetLife Stadium was inspiring to our players and coaches.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/236675591_Letter__Football_coach_grateful_for_support.html#sthash.WPWVjYNN.dpuf
What’s so magical about winning an easy easy easy schedule, then losing 33-0 when you finally played somebody?
Why, must there be a negative parting shot by those wannabees at Holiday time?
#1 is a spineless wimp- hide in cyberspace and post your heart out in mommy’s basement
#1 was in the math club hahahah
be careful… he may send a nasty tweet….
The math club kid will get a scholarship with no risk of CTE.
The problem with CJ and the whole RHS Football program is that they line up 75 kids on the sidelines and 15-20 actually get game time because of the all-important playoffs. Instead of developing the character of these young men by giving each player a position they can defend, CJ & the coaches’ faves play both sides of the ball and get some special team time. After watching for almost a decade, I have seen so many wait years to get a shot at some game time. As for the ‘faves’, they sacrifice their bodies and future heath with an unreal training schedule and sustained collision until they drop. Yes, 11-0 looks great in the record books but 33-0 looked ugly on the field. Congrats Coach on getting your letter published in the Ridgewood News.
Hey #7, did you watch a game this year? “Faves play both sides of the ball.” For your information, before a couple of injuries there wasn’t a single player who “played both ways.” RHS was a “two-platoon” team with 22 starters when the year began. In regards to “developing character,” HS football has become a 12 month a year committment. Those boys standing on the sideline are developing strength and character each and every day practicing, learning, and competing against their teammates. They know who belongs on the field and who doesn’t and in fact many of them played a lot this year as the starters were usually out after the first series of the 3rd quarter and they got to play in a JV game each week as well.
Football is a very competitive sport and Ridgewood plays at a very high level. HS Varsity Football is not a “youth sport” where “everybody plays.” One thing Chuck has demonstrated over the years he will play the kid he feels gives the team the best chance of success. Sure, the schedule this year ended up not being what it has been in the past but that is not Chuck’s fault. The league sets the schedule and the size of our school puts us with similar sized schools. The Parochials are all off chasing mythical national championships and the city schools have struggled lately. 11-0 is 11-0 and Montclair is Montclair, winners of Back to Back State Championships and with at least a half a dozen D-I recurits. Their tailback was bigger than our linemen.
Ridgewood doesn’t even have close to a single D-I recruit and probably never will but every single player will have a chance to play college football if they desire as Chuck does an incredible job of reaching out to college coaches on behalf of his kids. And colleges love the fact that Ridgewood kids are strong in the classroom, are fundamentally sound, and are “good kids.” I can’t believe after the season they had you feel it necessary to take an anonymous shot at a group of kids who worked their asses off to get to the State Finals and play a game in a stadium that the only way you will ever get into is by buying a ticket.
#7 – I don’t think this is much different than any other school that has that many players. I’m sure National powerhouse teams from Bosco and Bergen dress 75 kids or more each game and only a handful get to actually play.
You could probably say it’s the same for other sports – specifically LAX and soccer (both boys and girls).
Don’t single out Coach Johnson for doing something that is done by many other coaches and many other sports.
He should get congrats for putting a winning team on the field and people in the stands – I was as several games this season and it was SRO. Fun to see other families and friends without a son/daughter involved enjoying a game and each others company.
# 8 well said!