Legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden once said, “Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.” If that’s the case, I wouldn’t bet against the Garden City High School football team, particularly given the fact that Coach Tom Flatley continues to oversee this gridiron squad. While last year’s state championship was the latest notch on Flatley’s belt, he is no stranger to winning. Recently inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame (say that five times fast), the 73-year-old coach has won five Long Island championships, four Rutgers Cups and 18 conference titles during his 28 years at Garden City High School. And thanks to a 246-40-7 lifetime record, this stern taskmaster’s .852 winning percentage is the highest in Long Island football history. So while the Trojans are dealing with significant turnover from the loss of some key seniors and a shaky first half of this season, would it really surprise anyone to see Coach Flatley and his team capture another state championship?
— Dave Gil de Rubio
