Wayne Sackett, of West Salem High School, has been named Wisconsin Football Coaches Association/Green Bay Packers Coach of the Year, the organization announced Thursday.
The WFCA also announced the release of its All-state team and honorable mentions for the 2007 season.
Sackett received the honor following West Salem’s title run. The Panthers (13-1) defeated previously unbeaten Kettle Moraine Lutheran, 52-14, at Camp Randall in Madison to win their first WIAA Division 4 State Championship.
“I am grateful to be recognized by my peers,” said Sackett of the honor.
In the game West Salem senior quarterback Dan Schneider set championship game records with 292 passing yards and four touchdowns, both of which he had set before halftime while racking up a 38-0 lead. The Panthers set a record scoring 24 points in the second quarter and tied another with 52 total points in the game.
After a Week 2 loss, the Panthers ran the table with 12 victories by an average score of 39-13. But Sackett realizes that he has had help along the way.
“It’s truly a staff award,” said Sackett, who has compiled a 73-32 record in nine seasons as Panthers head coach. “I probably get a little more of the credit being the head coach. Everybody deserves a little piece of this from our freshman coaches that scout on Friday nights, all the way up to the varsity assistants. It’s truly an honor and truly a staff award.”
Sackett is assisted by Mike Malott, Scott Johnson, Bobby Schmitz, Bob Gorniak, Rick Martinson, Jacob Pederson, Justin Jehr, Justin Coulson, Jamie Olson and Jonathon Chisholm.
Sackett graduated from La Crosse Central in 1987 and began his coaching career in 1989 as the freshman coach at his alma mater, while also attending college. After six seasons he became a varsity assistant with the Panthers in 1995. In 1997, Sackett became a junior varsity coach at G.E.T. Following a year away from coaching, he became the head coach at West Salem in 1999.
Sackett graduated from Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1993, playing football in the 1988 season under Hall of Fame head coach Roger Harring.
Sackett, a La Crosse native, and his wife, Rachel, have four daughters, Tierra, Tianna, Sareece and Taylor.
In recognition of the honor, the Packers will award a $2,000 donation to the school’s football program. Sackett will be presented with the award at the Packers home game vs. Detroit on Dec. 30, and honored on Jan. 27, at the WFCA all-state banquet in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
This marks the seventh year both the Green Bay Packers and WFCA have awarded the honor together. The WFCA has awarded a Coach of the Year since 1976, while the Packers presented the same award since 1998, in addition to the Coach of the Week program which has honored 106 coaches and programs statewide since its inception.
Also attached is the WFCA All-state team and honorable mentions for the 2007 season. More information regarding this award, the All-state team and the WFCA is available at www.wifca.org.
