Following a hard-fought battle last Friday night, the New England Patriots are proud to announce Head Coach Matt Bouchard as this week's "Coach of the Week" for leading the Salem Witches to a 48-44 victory over Lynn Classical High School.
It had been nearly two decades since Salem beat Lynn Classical. The game witnessed a total of eight lead changes, but it was the Witches who managed to secure the victory in the dying moments. Senior wide receiver Albert Pujols made a remarkable catch in the endzone, connecting with quarterback Corey Grimes with a mere 13.3 seconds remaining on the game clock to give the Witches the lead. The win also preserved Salem's unbeaten record.
"This team just seems to perform its best in pressure situations," Bouchard said. "They are able to focus on what they need to do to be successful."
Andre Tippett, NFL Hall of Fame linebacker who currently serves as the Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, met with the Salem Witches on Tuesday. In the meeting, he extended a generous donation of $1,000 to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. This contribution served as a tribute to Coach Bouchard's exceptional hard work.
The visit and donation presentation will be showcased on the Patriots' weekly television program, "Patriots All Access." You can catch the episode on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston, and it will also be available for immediate viewing on Patriots.com. This recognition and support highlight the Patriots' commitment to community involvement and celebrating exceptional individuals like Coach Bouchard.
"The Salem High School's football team is a testament to hard work and thrive in the crucible of pressure." Tippett said. "These kids perform at their best when the pressure is on, turning moments of adversity into triumphs on the field."
This is the 28th year in which the Patriots have joined the National Football League in conducting the High School Coach of the Week program, which recognizes outstanding high school coaches and promotes youth football throughout New England. The 2023 season marks the 12th year that Tippett has taken the award on the road to visit the schools that benefit from the program. At the conclusion of the fall, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive an additional $2,000 contribution towards the school's football program.
For the 13th straight year, the Patriots will also be accepting nominations for High School Coach of the Week honors. Those who wish to nominate a high school football coach in New England who leads a team to an exceptional weekly performance or reaches a personal career milestone are encouraged to send submissions to nominatecoach@patriots.com. All nominations must be submitted following a team's Friday night or Saturday afternoon game to be considered for that week's Coach of the Week award.
The Patriots Foundation is the non-profit through which the Patriots support charitable and philanthropic organizations throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants, in-kind donations and player appearances. The foundation assists a variety of charitable organizations and programs throughout New England by supporting their educational, family and health initiatives.
