Russ Cellan of Massapequa, the Freeport High School Head Football Coach who led the Red Devils to 131 victories in his more than 10 years with the team, was honored by the Urban League of Long Island as one of Long Island's five Most Outstanding High School Coaches.

Cellan and his wife Sharon attended the 33rd Annual Long Island Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon at the Crest Hollow Country Club in November, at which five coaches from Nassau and Suffolk high schools were honored in connection with the Urban League's program focusing on "Athletes and Sports Figures: Leading By Example."

Cellan, whose many achievements over the course of his career at Freeport include a 20-game winning streak and receipt of the Conference I Coach Of The year title six times since 1994, was selected by the Urban League after it received nominating letters from Freeport School Superintendent Dr. Eric Eversley, FHS Athletic Director Robert Zifchock, former and current players and parents of players.

Attending the luncheon along with Cellan and his wife were Dr. Eversley, Zifchock, Toby Elmore (line coach), and Kenneth Bagatelle, founder and sponsor of community support groups for the Freeport athletic program.

Keynote speaker at the luncheon was Tom "Satch" Sanders, who recently retired as the NBA's Vice-president of Player Programs. In his remarks, Sanders spoke of the motivation that led him to graduate from NYU and to become a star player with the Boston Celtics.