Chilton High School varsity co-head coaches Ray Mlada and Scott Fritz have been named Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week, the organization announced Thursday.
The Tigers improved to a perfect 5-0 (3-0 in conference play) on the 2007 campaign with their 19-6 victory at Olympian-Packerland Large foe Sturgeon Bay last week.
"I'd like to thank the Green Bay Packers and everybody that's involved in with this award," Fritz said. "It's definitely a great honor. It's more of a reflection of Ray, I, our assistants and our players. So it's definitely a great honor."
Fritz, who joined the Tigers coaching staff in 1994, returned this season after taking a year off from coaching in 2006.
"While I was gone it felt like five or 10 years," Fritz said. "Once I got back, it felt like I never left."
Mlada is glad to have him back.
"I'd like to thank coach Scott Fritz for coming back this season to work with me," he said. "It's always been a great situation being with coach Fritz."
Three years after graduating from Eau Claire, Fritz was hired as assistant varsity head coach at Chilton. In 1996 he was promoted to head coach, a position he held until his one-year hiatus. Now he joins Mlada as co-head coach.
Mlada has served on the Tigers coaching staff since 1988. He was named co-head coach in 2006 following Fritz's departure. He started his coaching career at his alma mater Shaboygan North in 1983, two years after graduating. Mlada was named head coach of Cedar Grove the following season. He then served three seasons (1986-88) as an assistant coach with River Valley Middle School before arriving at Chilton.
"I'd like to thank the Packers organization for the commitment they make towards the high school football programs across the state," Mlada said. "I'd like to thank Mr. Harlan, Mr. Thompson, Coach McCarthy and his staff and everyone in the public relations offices at Green Bay for selecting us for this very special award. We're very appreciative and honored to be selected for this. We're just happy to be a part of the Packer nation."
The co-head coaches are assisted by Tom Mlada, Greg Sromek and athletic director Dave Sonnabend.
The Tigers will try to remain unbeaten when they host the Southern Door Eagles (2-3, 1-2) tomorrow at 7 p.m.
The Packers will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' winner during the 2007 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 Tim Schroeder, community outreach 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.
