Ron Swanson, head coach of the Wabeno-Laona Rebels, has been selected as the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week for Week 6, the Packers announced Friday.
The Rebels beat Crandon, 29-7, in Week 6 to remain perfect on the season, with a record of 6-0 (4-0 Northern Lakes Conference). In the past three seasons, Swanson's teams have lost only one conference game.
"We're very honored to receive this award," said Swanson. "From a coaching standpoint any award that any coach receives is a result of the assistants, the team, all of the individuals that go into the overall picture. Even though I'm the one receiving the award, it's still a whole team effort and I can't say how proud I am of our team and our program."
Wabeno-Laona is a co-op, combining the Wabeno Logrollers and the Laona Fighting Kellys. The football team goes by the nickname of the Rebels. Swanson has three assistant coaches, Pat Lowery, Dan Lazzeroni and Tom Enders, on staff for his program of 50 players, with 32 of them on the varsity. The two schools have a combined enrollment of 288. The Rebels have captured three out of the last four Northern Lakes Conference championships.
Swanson has been the head coach of Wabeno-Laona since 1981. Since 1997 he has served as the principal and athletic director at Wabeno in addition to his head coaching duties.
Before becoming the head coach for Wabeno-Laona, he first served as a head coach for Bowler High School in 1971. He then became a football assistant and girls basketball and golf coach at Crandon High School from 1973-80.
Hyland is a 1965 graduate of Wabeno, where he played football for coach Bill Kubeney. He also participated in basketball and baseball as a prep.
He attended college at UW-Stevens Point, participating in the same three sports he played in high school. His football coach in college was UWSP hall of fame member Duaine Counsell.
Swanson and his wife, Teresa Kay, have two sons and two daughters, Ron Jr., Casey, Sheila and Sherry.
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, Swanson 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 the coach is deserving of the award.
