When Riverhead’s athletic director Brian Sacks posted an opening for a new head varsity football coach, Donald Nelson knew he had to apply. In his mind, it was his time.
Nelson was born in Riverhead. He wore the Riverhead blue and white. He left blood, sweat and tears on coach Mike McKillop Memorial Field, playing running back in the ’80s. He was part of Riverhead’s coaching staff in 1988 when the team won the Rutgers trophy, which is awarded to the best team in Suffolk County. He bleeds blue.
“When we interviewed all the applicants, I was looking for a coach with discipline, organization and a belief that we can be better,” Sacks said. “For Don, this is extremely important for him. Bringing Riverhead back to its football roots. He is someone that knows how to build a football program. He’s a dynamic person. When you’re talking to him, you have to get excited. You truly believe what he’s saying.”
After four years playing running back at Slippery Rock University, Nelson returned back home to coach the Blue Waves and proceeded to work various coaching jobs all over the island for the next 30 years. After winning the 1988 championship in Riverhead, Nelson took a job at Westhampton Beach High School and won a small schools title. After some time, he went back to Riverhead in the ’90s to coach the JV football team. The team he coached went undefeated and it appeared he was next in line to coach the varsity team when the head coach job became available, but the offer never came.
“It’s still something I think about today,” Nelson said of the 1996 job opening. “Coaching my hometown team was always my dream job. It didn’t matter where I was coaching at the time, I was always keeping an eye on the Riverhead scores. My family has been in Riverhead forever. Football has been in my blood all my life.”
Even though Nelson was discouraged, he kept coaching. He went to Bellport High School and helped lead that squad to three Suffolk County championships. From there, he started up the football program at Eastport-South Manor High School.
“I learned so much over all my years of coaching,” Nelson said. “I learned so much from Joe Cipp and my years at Bellport. I want to take everything I learned and implement it into the program here. There’s going to be major changes going forward.”
Before he formally applied, Nelson asked his wife, Tracy, what she thought of him taking the helm of the Riverhead football program.
“I asked her what her thoughts were,” Nelson said. “I stepped away from football for a few years, and life was different. I had more time with my family. But she told me, ‘Do it. It was always your dream.’ I told her that it would require a lot of time away. I’m going to really give my all to this. She understood. That’s all I needed to hear.”
After the Blue Waves 1-7 season last year, Nelson has a steep hill to climb to turn things around. He knows things won’t change overnight.
“There’s going to be a major shock to these kids,” Nelson said. “I won’t tolerate the nonsense. We are going to be focused and driven. We are going to be competitive in every game. I need each of these kids and parents and community to buy in to what we’re trying to accomplish here.”
Nelson has already adopted a slogan for the team: “Together we win.”
“We have to do it all together,” Nelson said. “When you’re down two scores with five minutes to play we have to believe that the game isn’t over. You have to be able to look over to your teammate and know that you guys have each other’s back. We’re going to play a full 48 minutes. There will be no giving up around here because we’re all in this together.”
Filling out a coaching staff is one immediate need for Nelson. Applications have been sent in and Nelson will be reviewing everything with Sacks next week.
“Having people with Riverhead roots on staff is a major plus for us,” Nelson said. “I think growing up here and having success here gives you a sense of understanding for the community. It gives you a sense of pride when you coach. We’re going to take everything into account when we make our decisions.”
In the last few years, low participation in the football program has been a major concern. Because of the limited roster, many players had to play both offense and defense through much of the last two seasons. For that reason, Nelson is already recruiting in the hallways. He’s revamping the weight room and making his presence known throughout the school.
“I’m doing everything I can to promote the football program,” Nelson said. “I’m going to be involved at every level, from PAL to junior high and varsity. We have to be one program from top to bottom. We’re going to get people excited to play football again. It’s going to be a grind, but I’m confident we can get things back on track to how it’s supposed to be in Riverhead.”
Nelson is hosting a “meet and greet” at the high school for parents on April 3 at 5 p.m. in room 133.
“This is a full circle moment for me in my life,” Nelson said. “I need to get the parents to buy into what we’re trying to do here. I’m all ears and I’m ready to work. I want to not only prepare these kids for football but prepare them for life. That’s what this is all about.”
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