5A-4A football coach of the year

JARON COHEN

LIBERTY

Years coaching: 9

Years at school: 2

Reason behind coaching: After playing through college, it was a way to stay in the sport and a chance to have a positive influence on young men. The camaraderie among players and coaches makes the job fun for him.

Day job: History teacher and a mentor advisor for juniors and seniors

Family: Wife (Carrie) and expecting their first child — a boy — in March

Hometown: Newington, Conn.

Alma mater: Marist College in New York

Favorite moment as a coach: The Lancers clinched the Class 4A Foothills Conference title by beating Wasson — a win that gave them an 8-0 league mark this season.

Easiest way to find your doghouse: “Kids that don’t give maximum effort in practice because it doesn’t take talent to give 100 percent effort.”

Key to winning: “Preparation — it starts in the offseason. We create challenging practice play and try to put the kids in a position to succeed during the season.”

From a player’s eyes: “Coach Cohen is like one of the guys, and he bonds with everybody on this team on a personal level. He always has our backs — on and off the field — and he made a tight group even tighter when he came here.” — John Roy, senior center