Russ Cellan, longtime Freeport football coach, announces retirement after 38 seasons

It’s the end of an era: Freeport football coach Russ Cellan has decided to retire.

The winningest coach in Freeport history, who led the Red Devils to seven Long Island Class I football championships, will also retire from his position as a physical education teacher in the Freeport School District.

“I had a feeling during the season that it was time and I spoke to [my wife] Sharon about it,” Cellan said Wednesday. “All good things come to an end. And this was much better than a good thing — it was a great thing. I had such a rewarding career where I was lucky to work with some great people like Terry Haise, the athletic director who hired me, and some great players.”

Cellan, 66, led Freeport to a Nassau Conference I playoff berth and a 4-5 record this fall in his 38th and final season. He finished a fantastic career with a 258-125-3 record, a .672 winning percentage. He led the Red Devils to 15 county title appearances, winning nine crowns.

“The wins were great but guiding and helping kids get into college and build a foundation for a good life meant more to me,” Cellan said. “I wanted good people and making the right decisions to try and push kids in the right direction. Many of my players were the first in their family to go off to college and for that I am very proud of them.”

He coached a total of 41 years, which included his first three years at St. Dominic from 1983-85.

“The job at Freeport opened in 1986 and I got the position one week before the football season started,” Cellan said. “Who knew the months would turn into years and into a career where so many wonderful memories were made. There were so many great moments that it wouldn’t be fair to compare. I cherish them all.”

His football teams earned the coveted Rutgers Cup, presented to the best team in Nassau, six times

“Russ Cellan will go down as one of the greatest football coaches in New York State history,” Section VIII football coordinator Matt McLees said. “His contributions to Nassau football go way beyond the field. He was the guy with zero ego, who would treat people he knew for 40 years or one year with the same respect. He has provided me with tremendous input on all football decisions and his insight and friendship has helped me as the sectional coordinator.”

Cellan’s influence could be felt on and off the field. He scoured the halls of Freeport, recruiting prospective football players and wrestlers. He coached Morlon Greenwood (Class of 1996), Clifton Smith (1999) and D’Brickashaw Ferguson (2002), who all went on to play in the NFL.

“I’m from Jamaica, so I was playing soccer,” Greenwood said. “It took a month to convince me to go out for the football team. I played four games before I even learned what a first down was. I remember in practice, coach Cellan was saying, ‘On first down, Morlon, what are you going to do?’ I’m just looking at him. Then it dawned on him, ‘Oh, you don’t even know what a first down is, do you?’ Tonight, your homework is to go home and watch Monday Night Football. I remember I watched the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals.”

Greenwood clearly learned his lessons well. After his junior year, and just eight games of varsity football, he was offered a full scholarship to Syracuse. He started 48 straight games for the Orange over a stellar four-year career and was drafted in the third round by the Miami Dolphins. He started there for four years, signed a big free-agent contract with the Houston Texans, and started four more years. He wound up playing on Monday Night Football. How’s that for a practical application of a high school homework assignment?

“I would not be where I am today as an athletic director, father or husband were it not for Russ Cellan,” said Eduardo Ramirez, the director of athletics for the Garden City School District. “I am one of so many athletes that were fortunate to have him as a coach. He continued coaching me in life after high school. And he was fortunate to have Freeport as a place to establish a legacy of excellence and Freeport was fortunate to have someone that was willing to give his life to make the community better and mold generations of young men.”

Cellan’s impact went beyond the gridiron and the classroom. He also served as the wrestling coach for 35 years in Freeport.

James Hieronymous, a three-time Nassau County champion and state runner-up in 1992 and 1994, was perhaps Cellan’s greatest accomplishment as a mentor in Freeport. Hieronymous had quit the wrestling team and started down a dark path in his life.

“I was an adopted kid with no real father presence in my life and Coach Cellan saw something special in me,” Hieronymous said. “I was a knucklehead and made some poor decisions. I was lucky that he convinced me to come back and wrestle and that changed my life. The foundation for my life’s journey was built through wrestling and it opened so many doors. If I didn’t wrestle my senior year I wouldn’t have gone to college and wouldn’t have competed in mixed martial arts. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Coach Cellan.”

Hieronymous earned a national junior college championship at Nassau CC and then competed for Hofstra University. He went on to fight professionally in the UFC and is currently known as Jay Hieron, working as an actor and stuntman in California, Las Vegas and New York.

“Every kid deserves a chance,” Cellan said. “All Jay needed was someone to care about him. He did the rest. Believe me, I’ve been the lucky one.”

By Gregg Sarra

gregg.sarra@newsday.com@Gregg_Sarra

Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.