Coach D.J. Nimphius
D.J. Nimphius was an indispensable driving force in the incredible success of Glen Rock High School’s football and track & field programs in the 1990s and early 2000s.
D.J. Nimphius coached football and track & field and taught history in Glen Rock from the fall of 1992 through the spring of 2004. These were the salad days for both sports.
He was a position coach under Hall of Fame Coach Paul White and was made “O” Coordinator when Paul stepped aside and Hall of Fame Coach Alan Deaett became Head Coach in 1995. The football program then began an ascending run that culminated in five successive Group Sectional championships from 1998 through 2002.
D.J. attended a seminar given by legendary coach Darrel “Mouse” Davis and brought the Run and Shoot offense home to Glen Rock. The Panthers learned to spread the field with four wideouts and to execute a deadly passing attack. In the 1999 season the football team had one of the most explosive offenses in New Jersey history, scoring an average of 48.2 points per game.
On the running track, D.J. was the Head Coach for the girls spring program throughout his twelve years at Glen Rock. Under his leadership, those track & field teams won the B-PSL Divisional Championship in each of those years, won the Group Bergen County Relays Championship in ten of those twelve years, won the Group Bergen County Championship in eleven of those twelve years, won the Group Sectional Championship in eight of those twelve years, and won the Group State Championship in seven of those twelve years:1994; 1995; 1997; 2000; 2001; 2002; and 2003.
As a result of the success of those teams, in 2010, The Record named Glen Rock’s girts track & field team the Bergen County Track & Field Program of the Decade.
D.J. and fellow Hall of Fame inductee Paul White, the boys track & field coach, ran the two programs closely together and by event, stressing positive reinforcement and encouragement. D.J. would prepare a handwritten note for each athlete before a meet with race instructions and a personal message – his unique way of communicating.
D.J. received numerous awards as All-County and All-North Jersey Girls Track Coach of the Year.
After coaching in Glen Rock, D.J. went on to become the Head Football Coach at River Dell High School where he continued his winning ways.
“During each championship season that Coach D.J. Nimphius coached the GRHS Girls and Boys track team, he wrote each team member letters to inspire them before their respective events. I’ve saved these letters for the past 25 years and from time to time, I dig them out to remember what was one of the most special times in my life.
Coach D.J. Nimphius
Head Coach
o Girls Spring Track & Field State Group
Championships
Group II (1994)
Group I (1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003)
Offensive Coordinator
o Football State Sectional Championships
North 1, Group 1. (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002)
1997 Star Ledger Girls State Track Coach of the Year (this
was shared with his “brother” Paul White).
Numerous awards as All-County and All-North Jersey Girls
Track Coach of the Year