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09/17/2015 12:01 AMMarc Russo graduated from North Haven High School in 1994 and has been affiliated with the school system as both a teacher and a coach since 2002. Aside from all his duties on the football field, Marc coached middle school baseball for nine years and has done softball the past six. Still, Marc’s biggest passion is on the gridiron as he’s both volunteered tons of time to the Indians and held numerous roles within the organization. Currently, Marc is the head coach for the North Haven freshman football team and also handles a variety of duties to assist Anthony Sagnella in the varsity program.
“I’m a part of the varsity staff for game-day planning, although I can’t actually coach the varsity kids. I’m involved in work on the sidelines on Friday night and additionally I’ll coach the JV team on a Saturday morning if needed,” says Marc. “On Friday, I’m involved with the offensive game-plan. Additionally, my freshman team all volunteer their time for varsity games. We don’t have team managers, so they’re responsible for whatever is needed, whether that is getting water, keeping the game balls, doing the stats, setting up the cameras—all the little things involved in the game.”
Teaching math at the middle school gives Marc a head start for one of his responsibilities with the varsity squad, which is compiling the Indians’ stats throughout the season.
“The fact I’ve taken on that role, I don’t know if it’s me being a math teacher, but I’ve never wanted to pass it on,” says Marc. “I do take care of all of that.”
Another thing with which Marc is heavily involved is getting football players in the middle school prepped for action at the high school level.
“Everything runs under a program and we all work under Sagnella and align ourselves to the program’s beliefs and expectations to keep everything together for betterment of the kids. We met with coach and went through all of the principles, techniques, and fundamentals he wants his high school players to have,” says Marc. “I helped out with kids in school, getting them signed up, taking rosters, getting those things done for him. I’m a good liaison for kids going to high school. Being in the middle school, I’m the eyes and ears in that building for him.”
Marc additionally played three varsity seasons for North Haven’s football team and his rich Indians’ background is viewed as a huge positive by Coach Sagnella.
“I think Marc is fiercely loyal to the town of North Haven and I think that loyalty and pride for his hometown is displayed in his every day work as a teacher and coach. I think that comes out every day when you see Marc and it’s a positive influence on the kids,” says Sagnella. “He was involved in our youth program, scouting, and many things of that nature.”
Marc manned the center position when he competed for the Indians and made it a point to always know where everyone was supposed to be on the field. Marc carries that knowledge into his role as coach, which makes him enjoy the experience even more.
“Knowing what was going on for every player when I played was something I did because I was into it in that way. That’s always been with me,” says Marc. “When you’re involved in the most important aspect of the game, it makes the other parts flow. If the line is not able to block, there’s not much more you’ll be able to do.”
As a coach, Marc wants all of North Haven’s athletes to see success on the field. That’s not always defined by wins or losses, but also the maturity a player can develop throughout their career, as well as their life after football.
“Wins and losses are a great result of hard work, but success, we strive to continue the education of the kids on the field. We want a kid to be a good person, understanding what they need to be to society. That’s the best thing kids can get out of this program,” says Marc. “Any kid I coach that ends up fulfilling something in their life, football related or not, is a benefit.”