Coach Siegel

Coach+Siegel

Nick Di Vietro '18, Staff Writer

He is Mr. Siegel to some, Coach Siegel to others. He continues to impact kids’ lives everyday.   As a coach, Mr. Siegel enjoys laughing and joking around. His signature saying after one of his clever jokes is, “GOTTEM!” This saying has become a phenomenon to the West football program setting a positive tone to practices, games and other team gatherings. Coach Siegel understands when it is time to be focused and demands great hustle and concentration when competing on the football field.

Coach Siegel believes the Cherry Hill West football program has a very bright future.  He has noticed through all levels – freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity – that the players are all starting to come together as a family.  He explains that the kids are starting to come to realize what it takes to succeed on the football field.

Coach Siegel is very big on the word family.  He loves getting to know players on a personal level, giving players an opportunity to speak with him whenever they feel necessary.  Sometimes he even brings his daughter to practices and events.

Growing up, he attended George W. Hewlett High School located in Long Island, New York.  There he had a successful career playing football.  “When I was a player my coaches told me I would make a great coach, and I always had to tell my teammates what to do,” Siegel explained.

After high school, Mr. Siegel attended Long Island University. While taking classes there, he helped his uncle coach at a local high school in Brooklyn, New York. There he was taught the ways and strategies of what it takes to to be a successful football coach. “I love working with children, I enjoy helping people learn new things.” His desire to work with people led to his decision to be a teacher and a coach.

After coaching in Brooklyn for 10 years, Mr. Siegel moved to the South Jersey area where he received a coaching job at Cherry Hill East.

After a brief stint at East, Coach Siegel was given a substitute job at Cherry Hill West.  This is when he met Coach Wright, Cherry Hill West’s head football coach.  The two created a bond and Coach Siegel was given a coaching job at West.  “The difference between the two football programs is there is a lot of cultural diversity at West, at East there was not.” Coach Siegel explained his first impressions of the West football program was he felt as if West has a ton of potential to be a championship caliber team. The kids have a lot of talent and they are being led by a coaching staff that understands what it takes to win.

Students of Cherry Hill West should be excited for the rise of the football program.  Be sure to support the team every Friday night at 7 o’clock to watch Coach Siegel and the Lions football team compete.  Without role models like Coach Siegel, the West football program and community would not be thriving educationally and athletically the way they are today.