'A true Blue Devil': Longtime Fairhaven assistant honored by Mass State Football Coaches

MILFORD — Donnie Joseph never gave much thought to leaving Fairhaven High.

“I’ve just been happy where I am,” he said.

A graduate of Fairhaven High, Joseph has spent the past 27 years coaching football at his alma mater.

“It’s been a long time,” said the 49-year-old Joseph. “I helped out and I came back to help. I’ve been a part of Fairhaven football for a long time.”

“He’s been able to impact so many kids along the way,” said Fairhaven head coach Derek Almeida. “For someone to stick in one place, I have a lot of respect for that. It’s an amazing accomplishment. He’s so big on the tradition of the school.

“Who bleeds blue? It’s Donnie Joseph. He cares so much about the school and every kid in the building, in particular the athletes. He’s just a true blue Devil. He’s all about the school.”

Joseph was one of seven assistant coaches honored Sunday night by the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association during its annual banquet.

“It was really surprising when I found out. I got a letter in the mail,” he said. “When you find out Dana Almeida and Derek Almeida nominate you for something, I think it means a lot in the football community of Massachusetts where those two guys have been doing it for as long as they have and the success that they’ve had. When they nominate you for an award, it’s really quite an honor.”

Derek Almeida added, “It was my father that came up with the idea for the nomination. He was an assistant coach for my father when he first started.

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“When I came back to coach, it was really important to me to have people like Donnie Joseph a part of the program. I think he’s well-deserving. He really believes in Fairhaven kids and the culture of the school.”

Over nearly three decades, Joseph has served under six different head coaches with a variety of roles ranging from freshman position coach to offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator for the varsity team.

Joseph has been a part of six league championships and three Super Bowl titles, including the 2023 Div. 6 state championship.

“I still love coaching and I still love football,” said Joseph, who also serves as co-athletic director with John Ricchardi at Fairhaven High.

Joseph said the best part is getting to experience it all with his family, having coached his sons, Gus and Dean, and nephews, Peter and Maddox. Both Gus and Maddox are still in the program.

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“Now I’ve had the opportunity to coach my kids, one of them is still here,” Joseph said. “I get the opportunity to coach him for a little bit longer and I got to coach my nephews. My family is here. It still means something to be a part of it when they’re a part of it.

“My father played here and I played here. Fairhaven High has been a part of our family for a long time so it means a lot.”

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Fairhaven's Donnie Joseph honored by Mass State Football Coaches