Howard C. Vogts
Encyclopedia
Howard C. Vogts was an American football
coach. He became the winningest high school football coach in New York State
history on November 16, 2000. On that night, his team, the Bethpage
Golden Eagles, defeated Glen Cove by a score of 16-15 in the Nassau County
Conference III Championship game played at Hofstra University
. The record was previously held by Johnny Barnes of Canisius High School
in Buffalo
, who had 287 wins from 1931 to 1973.
in Garden City, New York
. Vogts started the football program at Bethpage High School
in the fall of 1952, when he was 21 years old. In their first season, Bethpage played a freshman
schedule at the new school. In 1953, Bethpage had a predominantly junior varsity schedule. However, on September 30, 1953, the Golden Eagles played their first varsity football game against St. Dominic's and lost 13-0. In 1954, Bethpage became a full-fledged varsity
program. On Saturday, October 2, 1954, the Golden Eagles recorded the first varsity win when they defeated Wantagh (at Bethpage), 20-7, in the season opener. Then Athletic Director, "Howie" (in conjunction with the late Hugh Coyle, former school board member) set up the "Quarterback Club" in 1955-56, now known as the "Dads' Club".
Vogts has been the head varsity football coach every year from 1953-2007 except for 1966, when he was on sabbatical and was an assistant coach at Michigan State University
. In 1966-67, he and his wife Carolyn took mutual sabbatical leaves from their respective educational fields and went to Michigan State University to work on doctoral degrees, he in administration, and she in pupil personnel services. While there, Vogts had the good fortune to work with Hugh "Duffy" Daugherty
, head football coach at MSU, as the Spartans
tied for national championship with Notre Dame
. After his one year stint at Michigan State, Vogts returned to Bethpage despite opportunities to coach college football. In Coach Vogts' 52 years as the head coach at Bethpagh his teams have a record of 342-114-10.
Under Vogts' direction, the Golden Eagles have made the Nassau County
playoffs 25 times since in 1970, and every year since the playoff system expanded to four teams in 1984. Vogts' teams have won 29 regular season league or Conference Championships, 13 Conference Playoff Championships (ten since 1984), three Rutgers Cups, and five Long Island
titles. Bethpage has had one Thorp Award winner, Dennis Macholz in 1968. Coach Vogts has had 39 winning seasons, only nine losing seasons, and three .500 seasons. In Vogts' first 23 seasons (1953–1976) his teams were 96-75-7 for a winning percentage of .557. Since then (1977–2005), Vogts' teams have had a Nassau County
record 30 consecutive winning seasons, with an astonishing record of 246-39-3 (.865 winning percentage).
The football field at Bethpage High School
was named after Vogts in 1989 and in 1995 Vogts was named Nassau Coach of the Year.
On October 12, 2002, Vogts became the first high school football coach in New York State with 300 wins as Bethpage defeated Lynbrook
, 37-0.
In April 2005, Vogts was nominated as one of eight finalists for the National Football Coach of the Year honors given by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
On November 10, 2007, Vogts extended his winning record to 350 wins as Bethpage defeated Plainedge
44-6.
He died of congestive heart failure on August 10, 2010, at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach. He became the winningest high school football coach in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
history on November 16, 2000. On that night, his team, the Bethpage
Bethpage, New York
Bethpage is a hamlet located on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States, as well as a census-designated place with borders slightly different from those of the hamlet...
Golden Eagles, defeated Glen Cove by a score of 16-15 in the Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
Conference III Championship game played at Hofstra University
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
. The record was previously held by Johnny Barnes of Canisius High School
Canisius High School
Canisius High School is a Roman Catholic Jesuit private high school for young men. Canisius located at 1180 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, New York, United States, just north of the Delaware Avenue Historic District. Founded in 1870, the school has historical ties to Canisius College...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, who had 287 wins from 1931 to 1973.
Biography
Coach Vogts first came to Bethpage in 1952, after graduating from Adelphi UniversityAdelphi University
Adelphi University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is the oldest institution of higher education on Long Island. For the sixth year, Adelphi University has been named a “Best Buy” in higher education by the Fiske Guide to...
in Garden City, New York
Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
. Vogts started the football program at Bethpage High School
Bethpage High School
Bethpage High School is the only high school in Bethpage, New York. Located in Nassau County on Long Island, the school is situated at the corner of Stewart Avenue and Cherry Avenue, across from the Bethpage Community Park. On average, each class size is between 25 and 30 students...
in the fall of 1952, when he was 21 years old. In their first season, Bethpage played a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
schedule at the new school. In 1953, Bethpage had a predominantly junior varsity schedule. However, on September 30, 1953, the Golden Eagles played their first varsity football game against St. Dominic's and lost 13-0. In 1954, Bethpage became a full-fledged varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
program. On Saturday, October 2, 1954, the Golden Eagles recorded the first varsity win when they defeated Wantagh (at Bethpage), 20-7, in the season opener. Then Athletic Director, "Howie" (in conjunction with the late Hugh Coyle, former school board member) set up the "Quarterback Club" in 1955-56, now known as the "Dads' Club".
Vogts has been the head varsity football coach every year from 1953-2007 except for 1966, when he was on sabbatical and was an assistant coach at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. In 1966-67, he and his wife Carolyn took mutual sabbatical leaves from their respective educational fields and went to Michigan State University to work on doctoral degrees, he in administration, and she in pupil personnel services. While there, Vogts had the good fortune to work with Hugh "Duffy" Daugherty
Duffy Daugherty
Hugh Duffy Daugherty was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Michigan State University from 1954 to 1972, where he compiled a career record of 109–69–5. Duffy's 1965 and 1966 teams won national championships...
, head football coach at MSU, as the Spartans
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
tied for national championship with Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. After his one year stint at Michigan State, Vogts returned to Bethpage despite opportunities to coach college football. In Coach Vogts' 52 years as the head coach at Bethpagh his teams have a record of 342-114-10.
Under Vogts' direction, the Golden Eagles have made the Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
playoffs 25 times since in 1970, and every year since the playoff system expanded to four teams in 1984. Vogts' teams have won 29 regular season league or Conference Championships, 13 Conference Playoff Championships (ten since 1984), three Rutgers Cups, and five Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
titles. Bethpage has had one Thorp Award winner, Dennis Macholz in 1968. Coach Vogts has had 39 winning seasons, only nine losing seasons, and three .500 seasons. In Vogts' first 23 seasons (1953–1976) his teams were 96-75-7 for a winning percentage of .557. Since then (1977–2005), Vogts' teams have had a Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
record 30 consecutive winning seasons, with an astonishing record of 246-39-3 (.865 winning percentage).
The football field at Bethpage High School
Bethpage High School
Bethpage High School is the only high school in Bethpage, New York. Located in Nassau County on Long Island, the school is situated at the corner of Stewart Avenue and Cherry Avenue, across from the Bethpage Community Park. On average, each class size is between 25 and 30 students...
was named after Vogts in 1989 and in 1995 Vogts was named Nassau Coach of the Year.
On October 12, 2002, Vogts became the first high school football coach in New York State with 300 wins as Bethpage defeated Lynbrook
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
, 37-0.
In April 2005, Vogts was nominated as one of eight finalists for the National Football Coach of the Year honors given by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
On November 10, 2007, Vogts extended his winning record to 350 wins as Bethpage defeated Plainedge
Plainedge, New York
Plainedge is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 8,817 at the 2010 census.Plainedge is a census-designated place located in the Town of Oyster Bay, residents are served by the Bethpage , Massapequa , and Seaford Post Offices, with a small number of residents...
44-6.
He died of congestive heart failure on August 10, 2010, at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre.