2019 Shore Football Coaches Foundation Hall of Fame Inductee: Manalapan’s Ed Gurrieri

At halftime of the 42nd annual All-Shore Gridiron Classic on Thursday, July 11, Ed Gurrieri will be inducted into the Shore Football Coaches Foundation Hall of Fame.

Gurrieri is entering his 13th season as head coach and 22nd season overall at Manalapan High School, and with a 104-31 record leading the Braves, Gurrieri has created a winning tradition and developed Manalapan into one of the top public-school programs in the New Jersey.

During his tenure as Manalapan’s head coach, Gurrieri has guided the Braves to seven Shore Conference division championships, six appearances in NJSIAA state sectional championship games, three additional appearances in the sectional semifinals and, in 2014, the program’s first and only NJSIAA state sectional championship.

In 2011, Gurrieri was selected as the conference Coach of the Year by the Shore Conference Football Coaches Association, and in 2014 was selected as Central Jersey Coach of the Year by the New Jersey Football Coaches Association.

Since 2010, Manalapan football players have gone on to receive 37 scholarships, including five to Ivy League schools. Two players made it to the NFL this past season with Anthony Firkser (Harvard) playing for the Tennessee Titans and Saeed Blacknall (Penn State) playing for the Oakland Raiders.

Before becoming Manalapan’s head coach, Gurrieri was the Braves’ defensive coordinator from 1997 to 2003. In that seven-year period, Manalapan made five playoff appearances and reached the 2003 Central Jersey Group 4 championship game.

Prior to coming to Manalapan, Gurrieri was the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Susan Wagner High School on Staten Island, which was one of the premier programs in New York City. Susan Wagner won six NYC championships in a 10-year span, had a 48-game winning streak and was ranked 17th in the nation by USA Today.

From 1985 to 1987, Gurrieri coached the running backs at his collegiate alma mater, Wagner College.

A native of Staten Island, Gurrieri was a three-year starter as a running back at Susan Wagner High School where he achieved First Team All-Staten Island and First Team All-New York City honors. He started his collegiate career at Northeastern University before returning home and playing at Wagner College where he was a two-year starter.

Gurrieri graduated from Wagner College in 1983 and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Special Education. He was a high school teacher at Susan Wagner High School before joining the New York Police Department, serving on the force from 1986 to 1993. He retired with a line-of-duty injury and currently works as a security officer at Manalapan High School.

Gurrieri was also heavily involved with the NYPD football team as a starting fullback from 1988-1999 and as the team’s offensive coordinator from 1990-1996.

Gurrieri married his high school sweetheart, Debbie, in April of 1984. They have three beautiful children: Michael, married to Kristen; Eddie, married to Jackie; Nicole, married to Matt. Ed and Debbie have one precious grandson, Dominic, who is approaching his second birthday, and are excited to meet their first granddaughter, due in September.

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