Cal Tackes of Stratford High School has been named Wisconsin Football Coaches Association/Green Bay Packers Coach of the Year, the team announced Thursday.
Tackes (TACK-es) recently completed his 29th season with the Stratford program, having served as head coach for the past 18 years. With a 26-24 victory over Deerfield in the 2006 Division 6 state finals, Stratford became the first program in Wisconsin history to win four straight state titles.
"Anytime you receive an award of this stature, you have to take your hat off to the people that helped you get there," said Tackes. "Our team did an outstanding job this year, and that goes hand in hand with the great assistant coaches I have and the time they put into this program."
Tackes has led the Stratford program to a 175-33 overall record and an amazing 17 postseason berths in his 18 seasons. During their unprecedented run of four straight state titles, the Tigers have compiled a 55-1 record.
With an enrollment of 253, Tackes and his staff oversee a program of 70 players, 47 of whom compete for the varsity squad. He is assisted by Jason Tubbs, Troy Bargender, Ryan Bloom, Joe Schwabe, Ryan Tackes, Brad Grube, Joe Drexler and Adam Aschenbrenner.
Tackes is a 1977 graduate of Kewaskum (Wis.) High School, where he lettered under coach Joe Harlow. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he began his coaching career at Stratford in 1978. In addition to teaching social studies at Stratford, Tackes serves as the school's athletic director.
He and his wife Jayne have two children, Dana and Ryan.
In recognition of the honor, the Packers will award a $2,000 donation to the school's football program. Tackes will be presented with the award at the Packers home game vs. Detroit on Dec. 17 and honored on Jan. 28 at the WFCA all-state banquet in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
This marks the sixth year both the Green Bay Packers and WFCA have awarded the honor together. The WFCA has awarded a Coach of the Year since 1976, while the Packers have presented the same award since 1998, in addition to the Coach of the Week program which has honored 94 coaches and programs statewide since its inception.
