Coviello named new HHS head football coach

Former Raider player and assistant coach set to take over

By: Rudy Brandl
   Vincent Coviello was named Hillsborough High’s new head football coach at Monday night’s Hillsborough Township Board of Education meeting.
   Coviello, 40, replaces Rick Mantz, who resigned in March after 12 years at the helm.
   Currently the HHS head boys’ lacrosse coach, Coviello said he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to take over the football program. A former football player and assistant coach at Hillsborough, Coviello feels a special bond to the team.
   "I’ve always wanted to be a head football coach," said Coviello, who served as Mantz’s defensive coordinator in 2002-03. "I’ve been at Hillsborough for a long time and this is where I want to stay."
   Coviello lives in Hillsborough with his wife Kathleen, and children Samantha, 9, Rebecca, 6, and Joey, 4. The new head football coach played football under Joe Paulino and wrestled for Rocky Forte, the school’s longtime athletic director, during his high school days.
   After graduating from HHS in 1984, Coviello studied landscape design at Delaware Valley College. Following college, he worked in a landscaping business and did some part-time coaching.
   He realized he loved coaching and decided to pursue a career in teaching. Coviello went back to school and added a degree in Health and Physical Education from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) in 1994.
   Coviello has been teaching health and physical education in the Hillsborough school district for 11 years. During that time, he held stints as an assistant football and wrestling coach and has served as both the assistant and head boys’ lacrosse coach.
   He’ll make a decision about his future with the lacrosse program at the end of the season.
   "Once lacrosse is over, we’ll sit down as a family and make a decision," Coviello said. "Right now, lacrosse is my main focus. We’re still in season and I’m not going to look past that."
   Coviello realizes that taking over a Group 4 football program will present a new challenge, but he’s looking forward to it.
   "It’s definitely a lot of work," he said. "There’s a lot of things to do to keep the program as this level. Rick did a great job building the program. There are some big shoes to fill."
   Coviello plans to start assembling his coaching staff in the next few weeks and expects to have a busy summer getting ready for his first season as head coach.
   After using a powerful option run attack during the past 12 years, the Raiders will likely open it up a little bit more on offense under Coviello.
   "It’s probably not going to be a wishbone team, but I’d like to keep the option as part of our game," Coviello said.
   Hillsborough High athletic director Mike Fanizzi, who led the committee that interviewed eight candidates for the head football coaching job, is happy to have Coviello taking charge of the program.
   "Vinnie is a quality human being and he’ll treat the kids properly," Fanizzi said. "He’s extremely knowledgeable in the sport. He’s a Hillsborough guy and he’s got roots in the program."
   "It’s close to home," Coviello added. "Growing up here and playing here makes it really personal. It’s something I really take close to heart. Coaching and teaching at Hillsborough really means a lot to me."