Keith Hensler, head coach of the Mukwonago Indians, has been selected as the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association/Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Year, the Packers announced Saturday.
Mukwonago finished 14-0 overall and appeared in their first state title game vs. Marshfield, winning 17-6. The varsity team has 82 players with 14 assistant coaches, Dave Adams, Mark Allen, Jeremiah Chitwood, Darrell Cottrell, Bob Dettlaff, Bill Hoagland, Justin Last, Bill Plant, Lee Purdy, Ron Schlicht, Bill Schulte, Jon Stillman, John Strobusch and Lee Liebecki.
"First, I'd like to thank Coach Sherman and the entire Packers organization, along with the WFCA and that partnership that is doing so much for grassroots football in the state of Wisconsin," said Hensler. "This is just a great thing for us. We're real proud about the year we had. The players, the assistant coaches, the entire community has been just absolutely phenomenal with their support about our season. It's been an awesome year, and we're really humbled and overwhelmed by everything that's come down, most especially this award from the WFCA and the Packers."
Hensler has guided the Indians to seven conference championships while compiling an overall record of 225-103-3. He was inducted into the WFCA Hall of Fame in 2001.
Hensler, Mukwonago's head coach since 1979, spent 1969-76 as the head coach at Irwin (Iowa) High School. He then became an assistant under Don Enright at Mukwonago from 1977-78 before taking over as head coach of the Indians in 1979.
Hensler attended college at the University of Dubuque, and Midwestern College. He played football for head coach Owen Evens at Dubuque.
Hensler, a native of Morrison, Ill., attended Morrison High School where he played football for Lorrin Fassett. He also participated in basketball, baseball and track and field.
He and his wife, Mary, are parents to a daughter, Stacy and a son, Matthew.
Mukwonago opened up the playoffs by beating Janesville Craig, 40-7, and later proceeded to beat Oak Creek, 28-8, in the second round.
The Indians postseason stayed alive with a third-round win over West Allis Central, 28-15, and Menomonee Falls, 15-14, in the semifinal.
The Packes and the WFCA recognized one outstanding high school coach as their Coach of the Year winner for the 2004 high school football season. As a Coach of the Year winner, Hensler will be awarded a $2,000 donation to the school's football program from the Green Bay Packers. He will also be presented with his award at the Packers home game vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 19 and honored on Jan. 30 at the WFCA all-state banquet at the Lambeau Field Atrium.
This is the fourth year both organizations have awarded the honor together. The WFCA has awarded a Coach of the Year since 1976, while the Packers have presented the same award since 1998, in addition to the Coach of the Week program which has recognized 76 outstanding coaches statewide.
More information regarding this award and the WFCA is available on the world wide web at www.wifca.org.
