Durgin calls it a career as Classical football coach

LYNN – Classical football coach Matt Durgin, who left the Rams four years ago only to return a year later, has again stepped down.Durgin, who coached Classical to a 9-2 record last fall, and came within 30 seconds of defeating Gloucester and winning the Northeastern Conference North title, said his children (Molly, 13, and Mattie, 10) are getting older, and he wanted to spend more time with his family.”I’m the kind of guy who feels you have to be all in if you’re going to be successful,” Durgin said. “And this (coaching) is a huge commitment.”Durgin stepped into the Classical job in 1997 at a critical time for the program. School Superintendent Nicholas Kostan – who was Classical’s principal at the time – had just decided to post the job that had been held by Dave Dempsey the previous 10 years, and hired Durgin to replace him.Under Durgin, Classical became a consistent powerhouse in the Northeastern Conference, twice coming within a whisker of winning the league and advancing to the postseason. The first time was in 2001, when two defenders collided, allowing Gloucester to complete the game-winning touchdown pass; and again last fall, when the Fishermen came back from a two-touchdown deficit late in the game.Durgin is also a former Item Coach of the Year.”Matt’s done a great job, not only with football, but with teaching kids about character, and about doing the right thing,” said Kostan. “Outside of wins and losses, he’s helped a lot of kids succeed in life, and get into college, and has really helped turn their lives around.”He’s one of those rare guys who comes along every once in a while,” Kostan said. “We were lucky to have him here for 10 years.”Kostan said he understood Durgin’s decision.”He’s a strong family guy, and he wants to be around his kids,” Kostan said. “I completely understand his rationale.”Durgin said he’d been mulling over stepping down ever since last season ended.”I was kind of hoping that feeling would go away, but it didn’t,” he said. “But this is an important time in (his daughters’) life, and I want to be there for it.”In 2004, Durgin left Classical to take over the head coaching position at Malden Catholic. But after a year with the Lancers, he was back at Classical in time for the 2005 season, and coached three more years, achieving winning records in all three seasons.Durgin said that he’s been lucky and has had a lot of great moments coaching at Classical, but admitted that watching his players become successful in life is his biggest thrill.”How can you not be happy when you have guys like Anthony Seaforth, Tim Phelps, Jim Bransfield, Eric McGrath and, now, Alex Watler (who has decided to attend Harvard this coming fall)?” Durgin asked. “They’re a reflection not only of the Classical community, but of their parents as well.”He also said that to be successful, you have to surround yourself with good people.”I’ve had some great assistants,” he said, “and I’ve also been fortunate to work with some great boosters club parents, too, like Mike and Peggy Phelps, Keith and Maryanne Bransfield, Ann Ridley, and Karen Watler. I’m very grateful to them.”