Milford to Open Football Coach Appointment to Outside Candidates

For the first time in years, Milford will search outside the town's school system for a head football coach appointment.

Tom Cullen, the head coach of the past five years, can reapply as he previously has for the one-year appointment. It's not clear if he will. Cullen could not be reached Friday.

He was told of the decision to open the search to outside candidates this week, said Milford Athletic Director Richard Piergustavo.

The high school has opened appointments for coaches in the past to beyond the system, Piergustavo said, including for the Girls Basketball coach, where an outside candidate was a finalist. But this is the first time in Piergustavo's tenure that a similar tactic has happened for the head football coach position.

"It's important to understand that all coaching positions are posted every year," he said.

Cullen is a physical education teacher at Milford High School, a position which is unaffected by his appointment as the Scarlet Hawks coach.

This coming season, the Milford football progam will move to the Hockomock League, as other athletics did this school year. The decision to search outside for the football coach has nothing to do with that shift, Piergustavo said.

The Scarlet Hawks ended their most recent season with a 2-9 record. Piergustavo would not say whether Cullen's performance as a coach inspired the change in direction this year, describing that as a "personnel matter."

"Decisions are not made in a vacuum," Piergustavo said. "We have an open mind. We'll see what happens."

A committee including administrators and teachers will now decide how to proceed with a search for the head coaching position. An appointment is expected before spring, because football coaches often work year-round to build their programs.

"We're trying to do what's best for the student athletes of Milford."