Schools

New Football Coach Welcomed at Parsippany High

The highly praised Philip McGuane takes over the struggling Red Hawks after former coach left under a cloud.

The Parsippany-Troy Hills School District announced officially late Monday the hiring of a new head football coach for the Parsippany High School Red Hawks.

Philip McGuane is to take the post for the 2013-14 season. The 30-year high school football veteran succeeds Guy Bertola, who resigned under a cloud due to what he called a "falsification" on his resume discovered after his hiring in late summer 2012.

The district's statement says McGuane spent 24 years as a high school head coach and three as an  assistant coach.

Find out what's happening in Parsippanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical High School Principal Brian Bilal said the newcomer to the High has left "a lasting impression on the people he has worked with" in the past.

"Whatever Coach McGuane wants to do he will succeed in doing,” Bilal said.

Find out what's happening in Parsippanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

McGuane is also very involved in working with young football players, according to the superintentendent's office. He has served as a presenter and speaker at numerous coaching clinics such as the Glazier Football Clinic, the NJSIAA Coaching Clinics, Morris County Clinics and various Pop Warner and youth clinics on topics including wing-t offense, defensive schemes, special teams and practice organization.

He also coordinates college football fairs.

Michael Buggey, who retired from his post as director of athletics of South Plainfield High School offered high praise for McGuane.

"[He is] one of the top professionals in the field and in fact, the best hire I made in my career,” said Buggey, adding that the new Red Hawk coach will have a “positive influence on ... students" because of his dedication "to the students in his classroom and the student athletes he coaches.”

”Moreover, he has developed a fine reputation with college coaches throughout the nation and prides himself on working with each of his student-athletes to get them into a college either to continue their football career or just to continue their education," Buggey continued.

“Philip is one of the most admirable men in our profession," said West Chester University’s head football coach, Bill Zwaan. "He is a very accomplished football coach and an even better person. He is extremely intelligent and responsible. He has a really bright and imaginative approach to offense.”

That may be extremely helpful for the Par High squad, which went two winless years before earning two 2012 wins under Bertola. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here