Mainland’s Coffey struggles with tragedy

LINWOOD, N.J. - Bob Coffey has stood before his football team countless times over the last 26 years.

The highly successful Mainland Regional High School coach has addressed his players before games and after games. He's talked at halftime. He's spoken at the start of practice and end of practice.

He always knows what to say.

Except now.

Coffey doesn't know what to say to his players because he doesn't believe there are words to comfort teenagers coping with the tragic loss of four of their teammates in an automobile accident.

"Nothing in my lifetime has prepared me for this," Coffey said after a candlelight vigil Sunday night for the four Mainland football players who were killed in an automobile accident Saturday on the Garden State Parkway.

Four other Mainland players were injured in the accident in which all eight of them were riding in an SUV on their way to a resturant after Saturday morning's practice. Three of the players were treated at a hospital and released; the fourth has injuries that are not considered life-threatening, according to state police.

Coffey has built one of South Jersey's most successful programs, with a heavy emphasis on family atmosphere and strong connections to the community. Mainland has won 165 games under Coffey, capturing several Cape-Atlantic League titles as well as four South Jersey sectional crowns.

"Bob always talks about family with his program," Mainland superintendent Thomas Baruffi said. "He believes in that very strongly."

Mainland has long invited parents, cheerleaders and supporters of the program to gather on the field with the team for Coffey's post-game speech to his players. The charismatic coach has rarely been at a loss for words.

But Coffey knows his task now is not to talk about wins or losses, strategy or starting lineups. He has to lead a shattered team through the most difficult time in its history.

"I'm going to have to figure it out," Coffey said in a quiet tone, standing on the field that has been the site of so many victories for the Mustangs. "The only thing I can think to do is to try to focus on what's in front of us. We've got take it day by day, even minute by minute."

Hammonton coach Pete Lancetta, whose team has long been a rival of Mainland's in the Cape-Atlantic League, said that Coffey will find a way to help his players through this darkest time.

"There's no manual for this," Lancetta said. "Forget football. Look at this from a parent's standpoint. It's your worst nightmare.

"I can't even imagine how you deal with this as a coach. But that's a close-knit organization that Bob has built down there. They love him. They are really, really tight.

"Bobby is strong. Ultimately he'll get them through this."

Other coaches have dealt with tragedies in their programs. But most have involved a single death.

Coffey's situation is different because his program has lost four players, while four others were involved in the accident.

"They are all individuals," Coffey said of the four victims. "They all have moms and dads, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins. It's such a far-reaching thing. It just doesn't make any sense."

Coffey said the Mustangs will do some weight lifting on Tuesday. He tentatively plans to hold a practice on Wednesday, although the team's schedule will be dictated over the next week by four funerals.

Mainland athletic director Mike Gately said Monday that funeral arrangements for the four players had not yet been finalized.

Mainland cancelled two scrimmages that were scheduled for this week. The Mustangs open their season Sept. 9 against Hammonton.

"We'll honor each of them and lay them to rest," Coffey said. "Then we'll try to start over. I'm not sure what we're going to do. I'm not sure what I can ask of them. I might have to ask [his players], 'You give me direction. You tell me what you think you can do.' "