After upsetting the second-seeded Abington High School in the first round of the Div. 6 tournament, Stoneham High School’s Bob Almeida, has been honored as the New England Patriots Coach of the Week.
Stoneham faced a challenging start to their season with an initial 0-4 record. However, they persevered as a unified team, battling their way into the playoffs with a four-game winning streak to close out the regular season.
Last Friday night, the Stoneham Spartans stepped onto the field as notable underdogs, holding the 15th seed in their division. The score was tied, 14-14, at halftime, and the only points scored in the second half resulted from a 2-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Kevin Gilmartin, followed by a successful 2-point conversion run by running back Sean Kilty. With an outstanding defensive performance, the Spartans secured a 22-14 victory.
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 Spartans on Tuesday. During this meeting, he presented a generous donation of $1,000 to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. This contribution stands as a tribute to Coach Almeida’s unwavering dedication and exceptional efforts to build up the next generation.
“Coach Almeida has been the standard bearer at Stoneham High School,” said Tippett. “He instills a culture of grit and resiliency in his players, teaching them the value of perseverance and determination.”
The visit and donation presentation will be showcased on the Patriots’ weekly television program, “Patriots All Access.” You can catch the episode on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston, and it will also be available for immediate viewing on Patriots.com. This recognition and support highlight the Patriots’ commitment to community involvement and celebrating individuals like Coach Almeida.
This is the 28th 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 2023 season marks the 12th 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.
For the 13th straight year, the Patriots will also be accepting nominations for High School Coach of the Week honors. Those who wish to nominate a high school football coach in New England who leads a team to an exceptional weekly performance or reaches a personal career milestone are encouraged to send submissions to [email protected]. All nominations must be submitted following a team’s Friday night or Saturday afternoon game to be considered for that week’s Coach of the Week award.
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.
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2023 New England Patriots HS Coach of the Week Winners
Week 8 – Kevin Gadson, O’Bryant HS
Week 7 – Jack Martinelli, Foxborough HS
Week 6 – Matt Bouchard, Salem HS
Week 5 – Ben Shuffain, Carver HS
Week 4 – Justin Flores, Everett HS
Week 3 – Duane Sigsbury, Billerica Memorial HS
Week 2 – Doug Kopsco, Needham HS
Week 1 – Brian Kelliher, Hanover HS
