In the end, the choice was clear for Park Ridge.
Jim Cleary, the Owls’ defensive coordinator the last two seasons, was approved as the team’s new head football coach by the district’s Board of Education on Monday night.
It will be the 50-year-old’s first varsity head coaching job, and his excitement was palpable during a long phone conversation Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s my home town, Park Ridge is a very, very special place, it’s smalltown Americana,” Cleary said. “It’s beautiful on a Friday night. The kids are fantastic, the parents are some of the finest people you will ever find. I love Park Ridge and the community here.”
Cleary played Division III football at Wartberg College in Iowa, and got his degree in history and education. He added a master’s in administration from NJCU and a special education certification from Caldwell College.
All along, he knew he wanted to teach and coach. He’s been a history teacher the last 21 years, at Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley. He served as an assistant football coach at Pascack Valley under Craig Nielsen from 2010 to 2016, then worked under Mike Carter at Bloomfield before joining Tom Curry IV’s staff at Park Ridge as defensive coordinator in 2022.
Park Ridge has been one of the most successful Group 1 schools in Bergen County, reaching the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference championship game three times and winning a sectional championship in 2019.
After nine seasons, Curry IV accepted a post at Secaucus High School. The Owls went 7-3 last season.
“We don’t need to reinvent anything,” Cleary said. “I don’t think there is pressure to win, but we will do this the right way with the right people and let the score take care of itself, but I am a competitor. I want to win.”
The Owls lose a tremendous senior class led by quarterback Cole Hughes (Lehigh) and lineman Deron McLaughlin (UConn).
“We lost generational talent,” Cleary said. “Some of the best players I ever coached, but one thing I have learned is I am not coaching a team, but a program. We will do things the same way and keep this program going in the right direction. My vision for Park Ridge football is that we are all one team from grades 3-12. We’re all in this together; the players, the cheerleaders, the town, when we walk across that bridge on Friday night, we know the whole town is behind us.”
The bulk of the Owls football staff is staying in place. Cleary will likely remain calling the defense, but he will adjust according to what works best for the staff.
Cleary met with the Owls on Tuesday afternoon. He’s going to stay as a teacher at Pascack Hills – the drive takes four minutes to get to the Owls practice field. His message to the team was that he was proud to take over and lead them.
“I found out very early on, they don’t care what you know, until they know you care,” Cleary said. “My focus is on helping our players be the best they can possibly be.”
