JOE LENNON – December 8, 2012

This year your Selection Committee has chosen to honor Joseph "Coach" Lennon. Joe Lennon is the second son of Bebe and Cecelia Lennon's seven children. The Lennon family is a well-known and well-respected family whose roots began in the Montclair Parish of the Immaculate Conception.

Joe is a graduate of Immaculate Conception Grammar School and High School where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to St. Leo's College where he played varsity baseball for four years.

After graduation in 1969, Joe began a teaching career at Mother Seton High School in Clark and began his coaching career at Immaculate where he coached football, basketball, and baseball. In 1975, he became Immaculate's Athletic Director and Head Football coach. In 1977, his football team won the  New Jersey State Parochial B Title and in 1978, his baseball team also won the State Parochial B Title. ln 1978, he was named Essex County Coach of the Year by the CYO for football.

In 1979, Joe moved on to Bayley-Ellard High School in Madison where he assumed the roles of Assistant Principal of Discipline, Athletic Director, Head Football Coach, Head Baseball Coach and taught History.

In 1982, Joe was hired by DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne as Athletic Director, Head Football Coach, and Head Baseball Coach. ln 1992, his football team won the State Parochial B Title and he was named the Star Ledger Coach of the Year. In 2001, 2011 and 2012, his baseball teams won the Passaic County Title and Joe was named Passaic County Coach of the year each of those years.

In his 34 years as a Head Coach in football and baseball, he has compiled 600 wins, including 2 State Titles, 6 Northern Hills Conference Titles, and 3 Passaic County Titles.

Joe has been inducted into the Immaculate Conception High School and the DePaul Catholic High School Halls of Fame. In 1996, he was honored by the Knights of Columbus as Educator of the Year and in 1999 was honored as the Passaic County Athletic Director of the Year. He currently serves as a North Non- Public Representative on the NJSIAA Executive Committee and remains the Athletic Director at DePaul Catholic High School.

Joe is the father of five (5) children and is married to his beloved wife, Susan.