Southold High School Students, Staff Heartbroken As Beloved Coach Dies Suddenly

SOUTHOLD, NY- Hearts were heavy Wednesday as students and administrators at Southold High School struggled to make sense of the news that beloved Coach Phil Reed died suddenly Tuesday.

He was 59 years old.

“Tragically Mr. Reed did pass away last night,” Southold Union Free School District Superintendent David Gamberg said Wednesday.

Reed, a beloved coach for years, has worked with boys varsity basketball, girls softball, and was also an assistant football coach at McGann-Mercy High School, Gamberg said. Softball is a shared sport with the Greenport school district, he said.

Counseling was provided to students throughout the day, Gamberg said, to help them cope with the unspeakable loss.

“He was, in fact, an extraordinary man,” Gamberg said. “Everyone, and I mean everyone, who came in contact with Phil reed was struck by how down to earth, sincere and caring he was. His impact and influence on kids was widespread in both Southold and Greenport.”

Michael Brostowski, Southold High School’s Athletic Director, agreed. “Coach Reed’s untimely passing has left a void within our small North Fork community. Coach Reed was a beloved member of the Southold athletic staff for over 10 years and always demonstrated a genuinely positive and consistent passion for his student-athletes. Coach Reed had an innate sense on how to teach his players the fundamentals of their sports while also keeping the game fun. Coach Reed was an all around great guy and our players, teachers, administrators, opponents, and community will miss him greatly.”

Patch photos courtesy of Southold Union Free School District.