New Fort Lee football coach Mike Garst is adding to the team's motto.
“We've been doing 'Protect the Fort' for a while and we love it, but we also love bridges, so now we're going to do 'Guard the Bridge,'” Garst said. . “That means defending the fort and defending the bridge.”
The 30-year-old, a former standout running back at Bergen Catholic, was approved as the Bridgemen's new head football coach by the district's school board Monday night.
“Mike brings us years of experience as an offensive coordinator at one of the premier programs in the Super Football Conference,” Fort Lee athletic director Mike Raftery said. “He has high energy and will be a perfect fit for our program. I look forward to watching him continue our success in recent years and take our program to the next level.”
This will be Garst's first head coaching position. He started as an assistant coach at Chet Parlavecchio's Passaic Valley in 2017 and has spent the past three years on the offensive line at Roger Kotlarz's Wayne Valley.
“When you're around so many great male leaders and great organizers who host practices and football games, you learn what it's like,” Garst said. . “Turn your style into your own style. That's where I tried to focus all my attention.”
After graduating from Bergen Catholic University, Garst played at Columbia University and then transferred to Garden City Community College in Kansas, where he played against current NFL star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The two remain friends. Garst eventually finished playing Division II football at Texas.
Upon earning his degree and returning to New Jersey, Garst began working as a substitute teacher and initially settled with the Hornets as a volunteer. When Parlavecchio retired, he moved to Wayne Valley.
Garst, who now teaches in Livingston, had some ties to Fort Lee from her days at Bergen Catholic Church and liked the pride she saw throughout the city.
“During the interview process, you could see that everyone was proud of the town and the school,” Garst said. “All Charles [Salame] In the last few years…they've laid the foundation that allows us to go to the next level. It was easy for me as a first-time coach considering the facilities and possibilities they have here. ”
Fort Lee has played in the SFC Ivy Division for the past four seasons, winning the Ivy Division title in 2022 and finishing 7-2 last year. Ivy Division teams are not eligible to participate in his NJSIAA playoffs.
Garst said playing in the Ivy division is just another step in the process of building a championship program. He has already assembled a staff that includes former Bergen Catholic teammates and is meeting with returning players.
“My message to Fort Lee is when football is in turmoil, it’s nothing else,” Garst said. “My passion for the game and all the experiences the game has given me, I just want to give back to the game. Every coach wants to win every game and I We’re very dedicated to that, but at the same time it’s about helping kids, and it starts from there.”
