After leading his team to a 12-1 overall record and a trip to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I State Championship, Needham High School’s Doug Kopcso has been selected as the New England Patriots Coach of the Year.
Kopcso, a 1999 Needham High School graduate and a former linebacker for the Rockets, has been at the helm for seven seasons. He led a group in 2024 headlined by the 2024-25 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year Aidan Williams, the Rockets star running back and linebacker who’s committed to play at Lehigh University next fall. In addition, senior tackle Charlie Simeone, who’s headed to play for Dan Curran and Holy Cross next year, anchored Needham’s offensive line. Will McDonald, a senior defensive end headed to play at Army next September, commanded a Needham defense that allowed just 7.5 points per game in the regular season. In total, Kopcso’s experienced group consisted of 28 seniors in uniform that turned out to be one of the best teams in the state.
NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, who presently holds the role of Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, had a meeting with the Rockets last month at Needham High School. During the meeting, he presented a generous donation of $2,000 to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. The acknowledgment pays homage to Coach Kopcso’s commitment to the development of the next generation.
“As someone who’s always appreciated great defense, this Needham team embodies everything we love about the game,” said Tippett. “They play with heart, resilience, and a mindset that no moment this season has been too big for them. Under Coach Kopcso’s leadership, this team has truly risen to greatness. Congratulations on an incredible season, and it’s my honor to present the Patriots Coach of the Year award to Coach Kopcso and the Needham Rockets football team.”
Needham’s runner-up finish in Division I gave the Rockets a No. 4 ranking in the final High School Football America Massachusetts Top 10 high school football rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
The honor means that Kopcso is now a finalist for the prestigious Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award.
Coach Kopcso and the other Shula Award finalists are judged for characteristics and character traits Coach Shula exhibited during his career – character, integrity, leadership, dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety, and on-field success.
Related: ’24 Finalists for Shula Award
This is the 29th year in which the Patriots have joined the National Football League in conducting the High School Coach of the Week program, which recognizes outstanding high school coaches and promotes youth football throughout New England. The 2024 season marks the 13th year that Tippett has taken the award on the road to visit the schools that benefit from the program. At the conclusion of the fall, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive an additional $2,000 contribution towards the school’s football program.
The Patriots Foundation is the non-profit through which the Patriots support charitable and philanthropic organizations throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants, in-kind donations and player appearances. The foundation assists a variety of charitable organizations and programs throughout New England by supporting their educational, family and health initiatives.
A portion of the above story is from the New England Patriots
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2024 New England Patriots HS Coach of the Week Winners
Week 8 – Ken Lachapelle, Northbridge HS
Week 7 – Mike Dubzinski, Wachusetts HS
Week 6 – Paul Zukauskas, BC High
Week 5 – Raul Brown, Tech Boston Academy
Week 4 – John Fiore, Reading HS
Week 3 – Mark Mortarelli, Natick HS
Week 2 – David Woods, Bishop Fenwick HS
Week 1 – Devin Gates, Leominster HS
