Alan Correnti has had many different roles during the last 23 school years at Kearny High School.
All of those past roles – teacher, coach, student advisor, site manager – have helped Correnti as he begins the biggest role yet in his academic career as he officially took over as Kearny High School’s Director of Athletics and Student Activities.
Correnti, who for the past 15 years has been the Kardinals’ boys and girls bowling coach, replaces Vincent Almeida, who held the position for more than eight years before stepping down to become the vice principal at Franklin School.
“I’ve been here my whole career. So in that time, getting to know the students, athletes and the community is certainly a big bonus in this new position,” said Correnti. “I’ve taught history my whole career until now. Prior to being the bowling coach, I coached baseball and basketball so I have different sports in my background. I was a student government advisor for the past eight years so I have the activities perspective as well.
“I think my background and my career in Kearny has allowed me to be well-rounded in those aspects.”
Under Correnti, both the boys and girls bowling teams were among the best at the high school, highlighted by a 75+ match winning streak and six consecutive Hudson County Tournament team titles by the girls team. In 2016, the boys team won its first ever Hudson County team championship and in 2024, had star bowler Ryan Valli place ninth in the state at the NJSIAA Individual Tournament in 2024.
Now, Correnti will be responsible for more than 25 varsity teams that Kearny sponsors, a list that will further expand in the spring with the addition of flag football, which begins play in the spring.
“We have to show all of our successes,” Correnti said. “Soccer is the face (of our school) because we are ‘Soccertown USA. We got to promote all of our programs and all of the positivity from them since we have had a lot of successes outside of soccer.”
Correnti’s responsibilities also include the more than 20 extracurricular clubs at the high school. Among them is Student Government, which he was the advisor to previously.
With Correnti’s extensive and diverse background, Almeida has little doubt that his replacement will do well.
“We started the same year so he’s been around for 23 years,” Almeida said. “He’s been the bowling coach for several years, but he’s been involved in a game-working capacity for various sports. He always goes on his own to support the different sports programs and kids that he has in class or part of Student Government. He knows the procedures, protocols and expectations that we have for our student-athletes. I think he’ll do a fine job.”
Becoming the new Director of Athletics and Student Activities means that Correnti’s tenures as bowling coach, Student Government advisor and a history teacher have come to an end. Despite that, he vows to remain a visible presence, albeit in a different role.
“I’m going to support them and I’m going to be at games and I’m going to be at club events,” said Correnti. “I’m not going to have that same closer relationship that I have with students. But this is still about the student-athletes so while it’s not going to be exactly the same or as close of a relationship, I still get to be a part of their journeys.
“I think that is one of things that certainly appealed to me in moving to this position.”
Learn more about the writer ...
Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)