Dan Pedersen of Elk Mound High School has been named Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week, a program presented by the Wisconsin National Guard, the organization announced Wednesday.
Pedersen, in his 39th and final season as the head coach of the Division 5 program, recorded his fourth win of the year on Friday when the Mounders defeated the previously unbeaten Glenwood City Hilltoppers 28-12.
“It’s been a real exciting year for us and I’m very pleased with the progress that our kids have made from beginning to end,” said Pedersen. “I attribute a lot of our success to the coaches we have in our system. They’ve been doing a great job for us over the past 39 years.”
An Eau Clare, Wis., native, Pedersen is a 1969 graduate of Regis High School where he played running back and safety under Tony Fiore. After high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin – Eau Clare where he played defensive back and kicker for head coach Link Walker. Pedersen began his coaching career in 1974 when he accepted the positions of head coach and physical education teacher at Elk Mound High School. Currently sitting at 257 career victories, Pedersen is ranked 12th on the all-time career win list for high school football coaches in the state of Wisconsin. He was also inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003.
Pedersen and his staff oversee a program of 56 players, including a varsity roster of 37. His assistant coaching staff includes Dan Hay, Jayson Lesik, Dave Lew, Jeff Mack and Mark Traun. Pedersen and his wife, Jane, have two children, Paul and Jenny.
The Packers and the Wisconsin National Guard will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' winner during the 2012 high school football season. Winners are awarded several items and privileges, including a $2,000 donation to the school's football program from the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin National Guard and the NFL, as well as recognition of the award on Packers.com.
Nominations for Coach of the Week should be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Tim Schroeder, youth football coordinator, at coachoftheweek@packers.com (e-mail) or by fax at (920) 569-7302. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
