The Packers have announced that Dave Puls of Lodi High School in Lodi, Wis., has been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week.
Puls, in his 14th year as the varsity head coach of Lodi, led the Blue Devils to a 55-24 victory over the Lake Mills High School L-Cats, on Friday, Sept. 15. Both teams entered the contest undefeated at 4-0. The win marks the third year in a row the Blue Devils have started the season 5-0. The team looks to stay perfect as they head into Lakeside Lutheran High School to take on the Warriors on Friday, Sept. 22.
"Going into the game, we knew it was going to be a very competitive battle with Lake Mills," Puls said. "It was back and forth 14-14, then we got up 21-14 and from there things kind of started going our way a little bit. It was a big win. Obviously Lake Mills was ranked very high in various polls, so we knew the competition was going to be really high. They beat us head to head at our place last year, so we were looking forward to a rematch and kind of seeing if we could get the upper hand on them, and it just worked out really well for us."
Puls was born in Kansas City, Mo., but graduated from Hilbert High School in Hilbert, Wis., in 1987. In high school, Puls was a three sport athlete playing football, basketball and track and field. Puls played running back for Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame member, Michael Moreau. Following high school, he went on to graduate from St. Norbert College in 1992. While at St. Norbert, Puls played football for Coach Don LaViolette as a fullback.
Puls began his coaching career in 2000 as the head coach of the freshman football team for Lodi High School. Before taking the head coaching position for the varsity team in 2004, Puls was the head coach of the junior varsity football team from 2002 until 2003.
Puls was honored to be named this week's Packers Coach of the Week.
"To know that it's a statewide award and there are so many great high school coaches and football programs out there, it's really humbling," said Puls. "All the credit really goes to our coaching staff and our players for what they do. It means a ton. One of our sayings here at Lodi is 'Lodi Pride, Lodi Pride!' and this is just a perfect example of what it means to be a Lodi Blue Devil, and what it means to have Lodi pride."
Puls and his staff oversee a program of 77 players, with 60 of them suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Karl Sachtjen, Rick Mack, Patrick Walsh, Drew Ryan, Jason Murray, Kelby Mack, Pete Moskal, Gordy Beyer, Kyle Mack, Jason Murray, Richie Hamann and Dustin Robinson.
In addition to coaching football, Puls is also one of the special education teachers at Lodi High School.
Puls and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter, Ella, and a son, Brady.
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.
