Bob Hyland, head coach of the Saint Mary's Springs (Fond du Lac) Ledgers, has been selected as the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week for Week 5, the Packers announced Friday.
The Ledgers bested Laconia, 39-13, in Week 5, to notch Hyland his career 300th victory. The victory boosted his coaching record to a lofty 300-80-2, becoming the first Wisconsin high school football coach to reach the 300-win plateau.
"To achieve 300 victories is really a dedication to the players and families we have here at Saint Mary's Springs as well as the dedication of the coaching staff," said Hyland. "Many of them are volunteer coaches and they put a lot of their time into the program, without their help, 300 or any victories would not be possible."
Hyland has eight assistant coaches on staff for his program of 70 players, with 50 of them on the varsity.
Saint Mary's Springs has started the season 2-3 (1-1 East Central Flyway-Rivers Conference). The team plays at Lomira tonight, in search of Hyland's 301st victory.
Hyland has been the head coach of Saint Mary's Springs since 1971. Under his guidance, the Ledgers have won seven WISAA State Titles at the Division 6 level, most recently in 2002, when they were 14-0. His team was state runner-up in 2003.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Saint Mary's Springs, he served as a graduate assistant at North Dakota State, his alma mater, in 1970. He has been a math teacher for 34 years at Saint Mary's Springs.
Hyland is a 1966 graduate of Wisconsin Rapids Assumption High School, where he played football for coach Don Penza.
He moved on to North Dakota State, participating in football and track and field. He was coached by Ron Erhardt and was named team captain in 1969. Hyland was inducted into the NDSU Hall of Fame in 1981. He graduated in 1970.
Hyland and his wife, Carol, have a son, Rob, and daughter, Molly. Rob was the 1991 Wisconsin high school football player of the year and also played at NDSU.
The Packers will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' during the 2004 high school football season. As a Coach of the Week winner, Hyland 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.
