RHS Football Coach Chuck Johnson Posts his 300th victory, selected as the High School Coach of the Week

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the New York Giants and Gatorade have selected Mr. Chuck Johnson of Ridgewood High School  as the Lou Rettino High School Coach of the Week for Week 9 of the 2022 season. Coach Chuck Johnson earned his 300th victory on Friday night. He is the third coach in North Jersey history to win 300 games – joining Tony Karcich and Greg Toal – and the first to accomplish that feat while coaching exclusively at public schools. Johnson’s 44-year career includes six seasons at Bogota from 1978-83, where he went 35-19-1, and 1984 to the present at Ridgewood, where he is 265-125-1; his career record amounts to 300-144-2 overall. Johnson is now six wins short of the most wins by a North Jersey coach at one school – a record presently held by Nick DelCalzo of Hasbrouck Heights at 270 wins.

The Lou Rettino High School Football Coach of the Week Award is part of the Giants’ continuing effort to support local high school football programs. 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 high school football season, the Giants select one area high school head coach as the Coach of the Week winner. The selection is based on the coach’s continued commitment towards promoting youth football, developing motivated student-athletes and contributing overall to their community.

In recognition of Coach Johnson’s selection as Coach of the Week, a $2,000 check will be granted to the school’s football program from The Giants Foundation and Gatorade. Johnson will also receive a certificate of recognition signed by Giants head coach Brian Daboll and will be honored at a dinner following the season, as well as a 2023 pre-season home game.

Coach Johnson himself is a Ridgewood High School alumnus. Having graduated in 1970, he rejoined his high school alma mater in a teaching capacity until May 2020. His retirement, Johnson declared, enabled him to commit himself completely to the football program. After a medically-necessitated absence, Johnson reiterated his commitment to the team: “There is nothing I would rather be doing than coaching football at Ridgewood High School.” His incredible resiliency enabled the Ridgewood Maroons to go 7-2 after Johnson’s 2021 return.

Village Hall with Mayor Knudsen file photo by Boyd Loving

In his career at Ridgewood High School, Johnson has led the football program to seven New Jersey state titles, including recurring contests in 2003-2004 and 2018-2019. His 2016 championship team finished the year with a perfect regular and postseason record.

“It has been a labor of love from day one,” Johnson said about his role. “To be able to come back to my hometown and be the head coach and be able to have the success we’ve had, to be able to coach the kids of so many people who I’ve been associated with throughout my life, it’s been a great privilege and one that I’ve never taken lightly,” he attested.