The Green Bay Packers have announced that Ryan Hulse of Manitowoc Lutheran High School in Manitowoc, Wis., has been named the Packers High School Coach of the Week.
In his third season as head coach of Manitowoc Lutheran, Hulse has guided the Big East Conference champion Lancers to a 12-0 record and their first-ever appearance in Level 3 of the WIAA Division 6 Football Playoffs. This season also marks Manitowoc Lutheran's first playoff victory since 2017. Under Coach Hulse's leadership and his F.A.M.I.L.Y.-focused culture, the Lancers are positioned to continue their historic season with a potential run to the WIAA State Football Championships in Madison.
"We use the acronym F.A.M.I.L.Y., which means Forget About Me, I Love You," Hulse said. "We really drive our program on the fact that we love each other. As coaches, we love our players, and our players love each other. Everything we do, we do for the person next to us."
This season's success has propelled the Lancers into exciting, uncharted territory.
"There's just a lot of excitement that's going on right now," Hulse said. "The guys are playing well, and everyone is enjoying watching them play, because they are having fun out there and playing the right way. It's been so fun to see our community come together to enjoy what are kids are doing and the talents that God's given them."
Beyond the game, Hulse encourages his team to be active in the community, an effort that's helped build a strong culture within the program.
"In order to be a team captain, seniors must do a community service project," he said. "Any seniors can do it, it's not limited. In the offseason, they organize a project in the community, get their teammates involved and help the community. A captain is a servant leader, and they are here to serve the team, and I think that has really helped with our culture because these kids aren't thinking about themselves. To be a captain, they've already had to think about somebody else."
Coach Hulse grew up in the eastern part of Washington state before attending high school in Wisconsin at Luther Preparatory in Watertown. He played linebacker, wide receiver and defensive back under head coaches Ron Hahm and Ken Taylor, both of whom are Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Famers. Upon graduating in 1999, Hulse attended Martin Luther College in Minnesota. Hulse began coaching as an assistant at St. Croix Lutheran Academy in St. Paul, Minn., before taking the offensive coordinator position at Manitowoc Lutheran in 2021. After two years in that position, Hulse became head coach of the Lancers in 2023.
Hulse is honored to win the Coach of the Week award but is quick to share the recognition with those around him.
"For our program to be recognized and show the hard work that the coaches, players and community have put in means a lot," he said. "We've been looking forward to a season like this for a long time. I love what I do, and I love the program and the effort they give.
Hulse and his staff oversee a program of 72 players with 49 of them suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Evan Lischka, Joel Steubs, Eric Augustine, Guy Gast, Allen Rounds, Aaron Krause, Micah Martin, Nathan Hochmuth, Brandon Ott and Alex Sprenger. In addition to coaching, Hulse is a teacher at Manitowoc Lutheran High School. He and his wife, Erin, have two sons, Malachi and Tristan, and one daughter, Dakota.
About the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week Program:
The Packers will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' winner during the 2025 high school football season. Winners are awarded several items and privileges, including a $1,000 donation to the school's football program from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL Foundation, as well as recognition of the award on packers.com, boundwisconsin.com and wifca.org.
Nominations for Coach of the Week should be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Jake Krueger, Football Outreach Coordinator, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
