The Locust Valley Falcons are off to a successful start to the fall seasons, aided by the hirings of accomplished coaches Joe Knoll and Rob Perpall for varsity football and Phil Goldberg for the middle school girls soccer team.
Knoll is recognized as one of Long Island’s most successful football coaches, with time spent as the head coach at Sewanhaka, Lynbrook, Locust Valley and Oyster Bay high schools. In Locust Valley, Knoll built one of the top programs in Conference IV history, making the playoffs in four of five seasons, winning the conference three years in a row and an appearance in a conference championship game.
Knoll’s players earned numerous individual honors, including all-conference and all-county selections, one player participating in the high-profile Boomer Esiason Game and several going on to compete at the collegiate level.
Perpall’s led the Seaford High School football program for 21 seasons, amassing a record of 149-59-1 and guiding the Vikings to eight county championships and tow Long Island championships. He earned personal accolades such as Long Island Coach of the Year and New York Jets High School Coach of the Week. He comes to Locust Valley ending his retirement from 2018.
Phil Goldberg brings varsity level coaching to the middle school team, having coached girls soccer at Plainview High School (1988-1989), Island Trees High School (1990-2009) and Oyster Bay High School (2010-2014). During his tenure at Island Trees, his teams made seven Nassau County finals appearances and secured a county championship in 1993. Goldberg earned Coach of the Year honors and sportsmanship awards from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association for his positive demeanor on and off the field. Goldberg was inducted into the New York State High School Girls Soccer Hall of Fame as a Coach/Contributor in 2020.
With a stacked roster of coaches, the Falcons are ready to fly to new heights this season.