East Region
Frank Luisi has dedicated his life to football and education since his high school days at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep in the late 1960s. A natural leader, he played quarterback for the Eagles before continuing his career at the University of Vermont, where he also played quarterback for the Catamounts. After graduating from UVM with a B.A. in English and History, Luisi earned a master's degree in education and psychology from Stony Brook University.
For the past 51 years, Luisi has served Sachem High School in Lake Ronkonkoma and Oceanside High School in Oceanside, New York, as an English teacher and football coach. His service has included serving as a Football Committee member for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section 8 and as a Special Projects Coordinator for the New York State High School Football Coaches Association. He currently is the Advisor for NCAA-College Bound Student-Athletes at Oceanside High School.
Luisi points to guiding high school scholar-athletes as the cornerstone of his career. Among those he has mentored is former Oceanside quarterback Jay Fiedler, who went on to play at Dartmouth and in the NFL. Luisi has often pointed to Fiedler as a powerful example of how football instills both success and values in those who play the game.
"The game of football is a reflection of life in all its forms," said Luisi. "Attitude and effort are everything in the game of football and in life."
Since 1989, Luisi has been a driving force behind the NFF
Nassau County Chapter, serving on the board and stepping in as executive director from its inception. For many years, he has devoted himself to promoting the core values of the National Football Foundation in high schools throughout Long Island.
The chapter annually honors the most outstanding scholar-athletes in Nassau County, naming a Golden 11 to its Hall of Fame. Luisi cites the prestigious group as "the greatest warriors on the gridiron who have also distinguished themselves as leaders of character" on the field, in the classroom and for their impact in the community. Most recently, the
Nassau County Chapter hosted its 2025 Media Day, partnering with
Newsday, at Oceanside High School to kick off the high school football season.
For more than 30 years, Luisi has staged instructional and safety football clinics each March, enlisting help from a list of prestigious coaches. Keynote speakers have included Bill Belichick, Carm Cozza (College Football Hall of Fame, Yale), George DeLeone, Jay Fiedler, Kyle Flood, Kevin Gilbride, Al Groh, Dan Henning, Jeff Monken, Tim Murphy, Paul Pasqualoni, Larry Pasquale, Bill Parcells, Chuck Priore, Dan Quinn, Greg Robinson, Greg Schiano, Phil Simms, Buddy Teevens (2024 NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football recipient), Dick Vermeil.
Partnering with the NYSPHSAA and Section 8, Luisi also developed and offered a series of five webinars during COVID-19 to help high schools keep players safe during the epidemic.
Luisi was inducted into the Nassau County High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.
Away from football, Luisi enjoys spending time with his wife of 40 years, Francine, their son Oliver and daughter-in-law, Beth, and grandchildren Julian and Cecelia.
