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Clint Kriewaldt of Freedom 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.
 
Kriewaldt, in his 1st season as head coach and 4th with the Freedom program, led the Irish to a 20-6 upset victory over No. 1-ranked Chilton in the first level of the WIAA playoffs.  The Irish’s defense held the previously unbeaten Tigers to their lowest point total of the season.  Kriewaldt’s team will now host the 7-2 Marshall Cardinals this coming Friday at 7:00pm.   
 
“When we took over the program, my biggest thing was to teach these kids how to win,” said Kriewaldt.  “We wanted to get to the point where we were no longer the doormat of our conference.  Making the playoffs wasn’t good enough for this team.  Our goal is to win a state championship.”
 
A Shiocton, Wis., native, Kriewaldt is 1994 graduate of Shiocton High School where he played running back and linebacker for coach Tom Omholt.  After high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played running back and linebacker for head coach John Miech.  Following college, Kriewaldt was selected in the 6th round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions.  After four years in Detroit, Kriewaldt was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers where he played linebacker and special teams for five seasons.  Upon retirement from the NFL, Kriewaldt accepted his first coaching position as an assistant for the Freedom varsity football program.  In 2010, he was named the co-head coach for the freshman football team before being promoted to the varsity head coach in 2012.
 
Kriewaldt and his staff oversee a program of 75 players, including a varsity roster of 52. His assistant coaching staff includes Eugene Klister, Justin Lancaster, Chris Rundquist, Jeremy Schuh, Joe Schuh, Jason Thomas and Tyler Vanden Wyngard.
 
Kriewaldt, and his wife, Jamie, have one daughter, Kierstin, and three sons, Carter, Collin and Clay.

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.