Foxboro to honor Martinelli

Jack Martinelli has been the face of Foxboro High football for more than three decades. Now his name will live on there even longer.

Martinelli will be honored Sunday (11 a.m.) when the varsity football field at the Ahern Middle School is named in his honor. It’s a fitting honor for the coaching legend who has 261 wins and four Super Bowl titles since taking over in 1982.

“Honestly, it’s something that is not necessary, but greatly appreciated,” said Martinelli, 10th all-time in coaching victories in Massachusetts. “It’s a terrific gesture on the part of the community to do something like this for me. This is really the culmination of having great assistant coaches, a great community and more than the 3,000 kids who have played in our program.”

One of the speakers will be Mike Redding, head coach at archrival Mansfield. The coaches have been good friends.

“If you told me 25 years ago that I would be invited to speak here, I would have said you’re crazy,” Redding said with a chuckle. “We’ve gone at it for more than 30 years and we’ve had a great relationship. One of the great highlights of my coaching career is being able to go up against someone like Jack.”

As for Martinelli, speaking won’t be an easy chore.

“Will I be nervous? You bet,” he said. “My biggest fear is leaving out anyone who was part of all this through the years.”