DON BOSCO FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES NEXT HEAD COACH, BIG NAME MAKING BIG RETURN TO NON-PUBLIC SCENE

Dan Sabella is making a return to the big stage. After spending 2018 as Ridgefield Park's head football coach, Sabella has been named the next head coach of Don Bosco Prep football. The school released a press release Tuesday to announce the news just hours after Sabella, who coached Paramus Catholic from 2016-17, resigned from his position at Ridgefield Park. “We are excited to bring Dan Sabella on board as the head coach of our football program,” said Don Bosco Prep principal Robert Fazio. “Dan brings integrity, respect and a coaching philosophy that aligns with the Salesian charism.” Sabella is the 12th head coach in Don Bosco history and will be taking over for Mike Teel, who went 8-13 in two seasons with the Ironmen after replacing the legendary Greg Toal. Teel resigned from the position on Jan. 25. Sabella, a Bergen County native and former star at both Bogota and Monmouth, owns a career coaching record of 128-67 with one sectional title in 2006 at Bogota and a state title in 2016 at Paramus Catholic, defeating St. Peter's Prep, 33-28, at MetLife Stadium. He also led Paramus to a pair of sectional finals in 2013 and 2014, falling both times to Pascack Valley. In a surprise move in May, after a tumultuous 5-6 season in 2017, Sabella bolted from Paramus Catholic to return to the public school scene at Ridgefield Park. The Scarlets, under Sabella, finished 2-7 in 2018. “Coach Dan Sabella brings with him a record of successful leadership as a high school football coach, one who not only transforms athletic programs but above all transforms young men,” said Don Bosco Prep Father/Director James Heuser. “He has a history of developing in student-athletes the virtues of integrity, respect, loyalty, commitment and faith. We are happy to welcome him to the Don Bosco Prep family.” Don Bosco Prep will mark Sabella's fifth career head coaching position in Bergen County. “Coach Sabella brings a sense of discipline and structure that will impact our student athletes well beyond the playing field,” said Don Bosco Prep athletic diretor Brian McAleer. “I know Coach Sabella will hit the ground running and begin to form relationships with our student-athletes within the football program.” After capturing a state title in his debut season with Paramus Catholic in 2016, things did not go as smoothly in Year 2. The Paladins finished 5-6 in 2017 -- a year marred by trouble within the program, including a reported player-assistant coach altercation in October and a separate physical altercation in July involving another assistant coach and a former player. Paramus Catholic, under John Whitehead in 2018, finished 2-8. Sabella's Don Bosco Prep career will begin out west, with the Ironmen scheduled to take on national power St. John Bosco in California on Aug. 30. His Paramus Catholic career started big, too, with Sabella taking the Paladins to Ann Arbor to take on St. Frances (Md.) in the Big House, a 38-20 Paramus Catholic win.

DON BOSCO FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES NEXT HEAD COACH, BIG NAME MAKING BIG RETURN TO NON-PUBLIC SCENE

Photo Credit: Steve Hockstein