Roy Nygren, a physical education teacher and the Pascack Valley boys soccer coach announced his retirement, effective Mar. 31, on Monday. The Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education accepted Nygren’s resignation at a meeting Monday night.

Nygren discussed his impending retirement with those involved with the boys soccer program at a meeting held Monday afternoon.

Nygren’s retirement comes in the wake of a recent health scare for his wife Judy who had a stroke and discovered that she was born with a rare brain condition known as Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM).  Judy is currently recovering, and Nygren has been spending a lot of time out of school caring for his wife in recent months. He says she “is in a wheelchair” and “has a bunch of disabilities.” According to Nygren, Judy has recently returned home from Helen Hayes Rehabilitation Hospital, and this decision to retire allows him to spend even more time caring for her.

“The one thing that stays at the forefront is doing the right thing for the person who has suffered this catastrophic injury,” Nygren said. “So for my family, my kids are all working, starting their life and careers and everything else. The only answer was [for] me to be the home care provider.”

Nygren said that throughout the year, shuffling back and forth between teaching, coaching, and caring for his wife has been hard and he has been unable to “do anything really well.”

According to multiple players who attended Monday’s closed-door meeting, Nygren announced that Luciano Cofrancesco would take over the reins of the boys soccer program. However, Cofrancesco denied this during a separate conversation.

“We don’t know what is going on yet,” Cofrancesco said. “Will I apply for [the position]? Sure. Will I accept the position? Possibly.”

Cofrancesco, a PV history teacher, has served as the JV coach for eight years, and filled in during Nygren’s absence at some games and practices during the past season.

Pascack Valley Athletic Director Shawn Buchanan later clarified that the school needs to post a job opening and go through a required hiring process before a new coach is officially named. The new coach would then have to be approved by the Board of Education. According to Cofrancesco, he is likely to apply for the position and be among the candidates that are considered.

“When a coach retires, resigns, steps down, however the situation is, then the position is open, “Buchanan said. “We have to post the position, internally, externally. And then you field applicants. And then you can go through [and make a hire].”

Nygren’s retirement will mark the end of his 11 year tenure at the helm of the Indians’ boys soccer program and a long coaching career that will end with well over 400 career wins. After taking over the program in 2008, Nygren led the Indians’ to a 119-61-6 record and five league championships.

Before taking over at PV, Nygren coached at his alma mater Don Bosco Prep for 11 seasons, where he led the Ironmen to a 220-31-8 record en route to 11 straight league championships and six Bergen County titles.

Nygren’s coaching career, which lasted more than 30 seasons, began in Hasbrouck Heights in 1982, and also included stops at Hackensack, Midland Park, and Northern Highlands. According to Nygren, his overall record was 427-128 after a three-year winless stint at Hasbrouck Heights. He also coached at the collegiate level for William Paterson University between 1988 and 1991, and has been inducted into the Bergen County, New Jersey, and William Paterson Halls of Fame.

Nygren’s departure will also leave voids in Pascack Valley’s softball and boys basketball programs, where he served as an assistant coach.