Mike Bartholomew, of Kenosha Bradford High School, has been named Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week, the organization announced Thursday.
Bartholomew, in his fifth season as head coach, has the Red Devils off to a 4-0 start, their best mark since 1959. Ranked No. 7 in Division 1 by the Associated Press and WisFootball.net Coaches Poll, Kenosha Bradford defeated 2005 state champion and top-ranked Racine Park on Sept. 1. They also scored a victory over No. 10 Burlington on Sept. 15. The Red Devils take on cross-town rival and Southeast Conference foe Kenosha Tremper on Friday.
"I would just like to say thank you to the Packers and the NFL for this honor," Dahl said. "It is truly an honor not only for myself but the staff, players and our school community."
Bartholomew and his staff oversee a program of 155 players, including a varsity team of 50. He is assisted by Jim Camerota, Paul Birkholz, Mike Pelkowski, Steve Jacob, Scott Steger, David Arrington, Jeremy Sowma, John Choi, Aaron Malczewski, Jeremy Gemig, Brian Divito, Randy Webb, David Speaks, Todd Brown and Joe Olzewski.
Bartholomew attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School, where he played football under Gary Reinke. A graduate of Concordia University (Wis.), he lettered under coach Courtney Meyer.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at Milwaukee South where his father, Bill, was head coach. Bartholomew became head coach at Milwaukee Bay View before serving as offensive coordinator at Concordia from 1990-1999. He was an assistant at Kenosha Bradford before his promotion to head coach in 2002. He is married to Diana, and the couple has two sons, Beau and Brett.
The Packers will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' winner during the 2006 high school football season. Winners are 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 Web site.
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) 569-7302. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number, and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
