BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Super Football Conference has established an entirely new annual recognition, the Steve DiGregorio Young Man of the Year award. Named for the legendary Paramus Catholic and Nutley High School football coach, who was also a stellar athlete at Nutley, the award will be presented on Jan. 10 at a banquet held at MetLife Stadium.
More than 100 players have already been nominated by their coaches or athletic director and have received plaques recognizing them as their school’s nominee. All these students are now eligible to apply for recognition as the Young Man of the Year for whichever SFC division their team plays in.
Bloomfield High School senior lineman Jimmy Rodriguez has been named a nominee for the award.
The 2021-22 Steve DiGregorio Young Man of the Year award honoree will be selected from among all division winners, following assessment by an SFC committee. The National Football League’s New York Jets are partnering with the SFC on the new award and have offered to host the spring banquet during which the inaugural winner will be announced and celebrated.
Based on various attributes that were core to Steve DiGregorio, the award emphasizes community service, selflessness, leadership, academic standing and a positive attitude. It does not focus on athletic achievement.
“There are plenty of awards that recognize competitive excellence, but that wasn’t our focus in developing this award,” said Joe Piro, Nutley Schools athletic director. “Instead, we discussed those things beyond athleticism that made Steve DiGregorio a special person. We actually made a list, which eventually developed into the formal criteria for our Young Man of the Year award.”
Established in 2017, New Jersey’s Super Football Conference is the largest high school football conference in the United States, with 111 public and non-public teams in seven counties.
Members include some of the nation’s premier academic institutions and perennial football powerhouses. SFC’s mission is to improve performance, promote academic excellence, and create opportunities for student-athletes.
Photo Courtesy of Jerry Simon
Bloomfield HS football’s Jimmy Rodriguez is DiGregorio Award nominee added by Editor on
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