Wayne Steffenhagen, head coach of the D.C. Everest High School Evergreens, has been selected as the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week, the tenth and final recipient for this season, the Packers announced Monday.
D.C. Everest ended their season 14-0 overall, winning the Division 1 championship with a 42-7 victory over Hartlund Arrowhead. Steffenhagen's teams have been to 6 title games in 15 playoff appearances, winning 5 titles.
The varsity team has 80 players with 7 assistant coaches. Steffenhagen retired from teaching after 38 years, though he still helps with the school's driver's education program.
A member of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Steffenhagen began his coaching career as an assistant at Fond du Lac High School (1965-72) and was head coach at La Crosse Central in 1973.
Before becoming head coach at D.C. Everest in 1979, Steffenhagen held assistant positions at Stevens Point High School (1978-79) and Coon Rapids High School in Minnesota (1974-77).
Steffenhagen played college football at the University of Minnesota under Murray Warmath, before graduating in 1967.
A Lake City, Minn. native, Steffenhagen played football at Lincoln High School under head coach Bill Kieffer. He also played basketball and ran track.
He and his wife, Sondra, are parents to Kelly, Jay and Todd.
As is evident from their undefeated season, D.C. Everest had the right mixture of attitude and personnel needed to win.
"We had real fine leadership and the players work ethic was as solid as I can recall since I've been here," Steffenhagen said. "Likewise, some of our staff members have been on our current staff 20 plus years and it's just a combined effort from everyone involved."
For all the championship teams he's coached, Steffenhagen said winning titles never gets old.
"I think the longer you're in this business, the more you want to win," Steffenhagen said. "It's all about our young men. You want to win for them more than anything and have them have that experience."
The Packers will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their Coach of the Week winner during the 2003 high school football season. As a Coach of the Week winner, Steffenhagen and future recipients will be awarded several items and privileges, including a $1,000 donation to the school's football program from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL, as well as recognition of the award on www.NFLHS.com, the NFL's high school football website.
Nominations for Coach of the Week should be submitted by 9 a.m. every Monday to Cathy A. Dworak, Manager of Community Relations, at coachoftheweek@packers.com (e-mail) or by fax at (920) 490-5937. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number, and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
