A Local Hero Takes the Helm: Kip Finley Leads North Arlington Football

Kip Finley, a familiar face in North Arlington, has taken on a new role as the high school's head football coach. The Board of Education gave the green light to his appointment on January 20th. Finley, who graduated from North Arlington High School in 2001, is no stranger to the field. He's spent years honing his coaching skills at Morris Catholic and Sparta, and now he's ready to bring his expertise back to his hometown. Finley's journey to this position hasn't been a straight line. He's played three sports in high school: football, basketball, and baseball. After high school, he played baseball at Centenary College and earned a degree in criminal justice. Now, he's a state trooper stationed in Hope Township. His nickname, Kip, comes from his family, a way to distinguish him from his father, who shares the same first name.Finley's coaching career started with the North Arlington junior football program, back when they were known as the Leaders. He then moved on to assistant coaching roles at the high school and St. Mary before joining the staff at Morris Catholic in 2017. Most recently, he's been the special teams coordinator at Sparta. This new role as head coach is his first. Finley is eager to start working with the team. He plans to meet with the returning seniors on January 21st. The Vikings have had a tough couple of years, winning only one game in the last two seasons. Finley is focused on changing that, starting with the offseason work. He's not interested in individual honors; he wants his players to focus on winning games together. Finley is also working on building his coaching staff. He's brought on former Vikings head coach Paul Savage as his defensive coordinator. Finley believes the program currently has around 35 players, but he's hoping to add a few more. He wants his team to play fast and physical, returning to the hard-hitting tradition of North Arlington football. He's promising upbeat, fast-moving practices and a no-nonsense approach to the game.