Chris O'Connell, head coach of the Regis Ramblers, has been selected as the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week for Week 3, the Packers announced Friday.
The Ramblers have started the season 3-0 after besting Augusta High School in Week 3 by a score of 45-8. The Ramblers beat Altoona, 49-6, in Week 2 and Ellsworth, 33-0, in Week 1. The team plays tomorrow evening against Gillman at Camp Randall Stadium as part of the Badger Classic.
O'Connell has been the head coach of Regis since 1989. Under his guidance, the Ramblers have won four state championships, in 1992, 1993, 1999 and 2003. His 2003 team went undefeated, compiling a 14-0 record, on its way to being crowned Division 7 state champs.
He served as an assistant coach for Mukwonago, La Crosse Aquinas, Viroqua and UW-Eau Claire prior to his current position. Regis has 58 varsity players and six assistant coaches. One of O'Connell's assistant coaches, Chris Edwards, was deployed to Iraq as part of a reserve unit during the 2003 season, but was able to make it back to be with the team on the sidelines for the state championship game. While in Iraq, he would send a 'word of the week' to the team to help them focus.
"The team is excited to have him back on the sidelines for this season," said O'Connell.
O'Connell is a 1972 graduate of Mukwonago High School, where he played football and was coached by Don Enright. He also was a member of the track and field team as a prep.
Upon completion of his coursework at Mukwonago, he enrolled at UW-Stevens Point, playing football for the Pointers. O'Connell transferred to UW-La Crosse and graduated in 1977.
O'Connell and his wife, Cheryl, have two sons. Ryan plays football at UW-Stout, and Michael is a sophomore at Regis. O'Connell has been a physical education teacher for 24 years at Eau Claire Academy, a residential treatment center for high school kids.
"Our emphasis has always been playing as a team and setting high goals," said O'Connell. "Hopefully, we will have a lot of fun and success in trying to achieve those goals."
The Packers will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' winner during the 2004 high school football season. As a Coach of the Week winner, O'Connell and future recipients will be 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.
