The Packers have announced that Brian Berlin of Sheboygan Falls High School in Sheboygan Falls, Wis., has been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week.
Berlin, in his seventh year as the varsity head coach of Sheboygan Falls, led the Falcons to a 14-7 victory over the Kiel High School Raiders, on Friday, Oct. 6. The win improves the Falcons' record to 7-1 overall, and keeps them undefeated in conference play at 6-0 as they are crowned the Eastern Wisconsin Conference champions for a third year in a row. Sheboygan Falls is now set to take on Two Rivers High School in the final regular season game of the year on Friday, Oct. 13.
"Kiel and [our team] are basically the exact same team offensively and defensively," Berlin said. "We have a history of some very close, low-scoring games because we know each other so well. We know it normally comes down to a couple plays and that's what happened on Friday night. Both teams played extremely well offensively, defensively and on special teams. It ultimately came down to one of our players [making] a tremendous catch in the end zone in the beginning of the fourth quarter, which put us up 14-7, and then our defense did an amazing job stopping them. We got the ball back and ran the clock out with about five and half minutes to go. We know it just comes down to execution in that game."
Berlin, a native of Sheboygan Falls, graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School in 1996. In high school, Berlin was a three sport athlete playing football and basketball, and running track. He played quarterback for Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame member, Coach Dan Juedes. Berlin would go on to graduate from UW-Whitewater in 2002.
Berlin began his coaching career in 2004 as the head coach of the freshman football team and assistant coach for the varsity team at Homestead High School in 2004. Following the 2008 season at Homestead, Berlin spent two years as an assistant varsity coach at West Bend West High School before becoming the varsity head coach for Sheboygan Falls in 2011.
Berlin gives the credit to winning the Coach of the Week Award to his players and staff.
"It's a tremendous honor to be named, even just to be nominated [for this award]. I think it speaks volumes for the program that we've built in the last year and it really comes down to the kids. They do a great job working hard in the offseason. We won our third consecutive EWC conference title. So it is more about the kids and my staff than anything."
Berlin and his staff oversee a program of 65 players, with 42 players suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Mason White, Mark Thompson, Dan Winter, Matt Pfister, Terry Rotter, Doug Johnson, Phil Klemme and David Gonzalez.
In addition to coaching football, Berlin is also a mathematics teacher at Sheboygan Falls High School.
Berlin and his wife, Jamie, have a son, Brayden.
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 2017 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, Wissports.net and Wifca.org.
Nominations for Coach of the Week should be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Ryan Fencl, Youth Football Coordinator, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
