Homecoming for Chad King as he takes over OTHS football program

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Township of Ocean – March 26, 2024 the Board of Education approved Chad King as the new head football coach for the high school program. King is a graduate of Ocean Township High School Class of 2000.

“We feel very fortunate that we were able to hire a candidate the caliber of Chad King this late in the game,” said H. Rusty Todd, athletic director at Ocean Township High School. The position of head coach opened up when former head coach Don Klein resigned in February and accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Shore Regional High School. “We here at Ocean Township are really excited to have Chad King lead our traditional rich football program.”

King played running back and defensive back from 1997-to-1999 for the Spartans. In 2000, he was named to the First Team All-Shore for the safety position and Third Team All-State for defensive back. He continued his football career at SUNY Stony Brook.

While playing for the Seawolves of Stony Brook, King was named to the First Team All-American Defensive Back and Second Team All-American as a kick returner in 2002. He graduated with a degree in Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Studies.

Chad King on the Long Branch sidelines

After college, he obtained a teaching position with the Long Branch Public Schools. “I started my football coaching career in 2011 as a defensive backs coach for the Green Wave. In 2015 I took on the role as coach of defensive backs and special teams coordinator, and in 2018 I was promoted to defensive coordinator,” said King. All that time, Danny George, was the head coach of the Long Branch squad.

In 2022, King was named head coach of the Green Wave with George retiring from his coaching position. “During my coaching career, I won two state championships as an assistant coach and won three playoff games as a head coach. In my second year as head coach, I led them to an NJSIAA sectional final,” added King.

As a player King had a very memorable opening day game in 2002. “It was opening day and we were kicking off our brand new stadium. Returning the punt on the next series, and finishing the game with an interception, spring boarded my All-American campaign for my junior year,” said King.

His favorite memory as a coach was when Long Branch won the state championships in 2017. “We beat Freehold Boro 42-41 in overtime while playing at Rutgers University,” said King.

“In 1999 Dan George left Ocean as head coach and went home to Long Branch. This past February, Don Klein left Ocean as head coach and went home to Shore Regional. Now in March of 2024, Chad King leaves Long Branch and comes home to Ocean Township to lead our football program,” said Todd.