Coach David Curtin of Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J.
The New York Jets have announced that Robert Hampton of Lincoln High School in Jersey City, N.J., has been named this week's recipient of the New York Jets High School Coach of the Week Award. For his efforts, Hampton will receive $1,000 to benefit the school's football program and he will be presented with a certificate from the Jets.
The award, in its 14th year, is given to a coach in the tristate area who serves the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve, and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to their community, their school and their student-athletes.
Hampton is in his fifth season at the Lincoln helm. Under his stewardship in 2008, the Lions made the playoffs for the first time in 21 seasons. He graduated from Lincoln in 1979 as the class president and was named to the all-conference and all-county teams as an outside linebacker. He went on to play LB for Boston University from 1979-81 before transferring to Northeastern and graduating with a degree in political science. Hampton is also an English hand history teacher at Lincoln.
On Friday, Lincoln defeated the Hudson Catholic Hawks, 22-6, to improve to 8-0 for the first time since 1973. The win also gave the Lions the North Jersey Tri-County Conference title, their first conference championship since they won the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association crown in 1986. Lincoln's next game will be Saturday, Nov. 7, against the Irvington Blue Knights.