The Green Bay Packers have announced that Jason Fiacco of the Horicon/Hustisford ("Husticon") football program in Horicon, Wis., has been named the Packers High School Coach of the Week. The program is presented by Buffalo Wild Wings.
In his first year as varsity head coach for Husticon, Fiacco has his team heading into a Level 2 match-up in the Division 5 WIAA Football Tournament against Lomira High School this Friday, Oct. 27. After finishing the regular season with a 7-2 record, Husticon defeated Oostburg High School in Level 1 of the tournament, 49-21. Prior to Fiacco taking over as head coach, Husticon was coming off a winless 0-9 season in 2021 and had a 3-7 record last year. While Fiacco has been a main factor in the program's turnaround, he gives the credit and praise to his staff and players for this year's success.
"It's a reflection of our schools and the community," Fiacco said. "We've got great administration from both school districts, we have a great coaching staff, the guys put in a lot of time effort and energy into what they do. We also have great parents; they are very supportive and want their kids to be successful. They're willing to guide them in the right direction and that all pours into the kids. The kids are the ones that make the plays on Friday nights. The reason we've had so much success is all those aspects coming together and the kids making it happen on the field."
Fiacco graduated from Arrowhead High School in 2005. As a member of the Warhawks, Fiacco was an offensive lineman for WFCA Hall of Fame Coach Tom Taraska. Heading into the first round of the playoffs this year, Fiacco was coaching with a heavy heart after learning of the passing of Coach Taraska earlier that week.
"I want to pay tribute to [Coach Taraska] on this and his wife, Sue," Fiacco said. "He's impacted a tremendous amount of lives. Without a doubt, my life is better because of him. So, I'm extremely grateful [to have had him as a coach]."
While in high school, Fiacco was also a competitive weightlifter. In college, he would go on to earn a Team USA bronze medal in the 2006 Junior Olympics in Cali, Colombia. Fiacco also played football as an offensive lineman at the collegiate level for Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa where he graduated in 2010. Following college, Fiacco played football in Europe for one season and participated in rookie mini-camp for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fiacco's coaching career began as an offensive line coach for Ellsworth Community College in Iowa. In the high school ranks, Fiacco coached at the 6A level in Texas for the previous 13 years until he moved back to Wisconsin earlier this year and accepted the head coaching position for Husticon.
While Fiacco is excited about winning the Coach of the Week Award, he and his team remain focused on the playoffs and the road ahead. For messaging and wisdom to his team, he goes back to the words of his late coach.
"One of the things we stress with the kids is, this should be the best football that you've played all season. Really for all the guys, this should be the best football you're playing of your life. Like my old coach used to say, Coach Taraska, he said, 'great teams peak in late October and early November.' And so that's one of the things that we're stressing to do and are finding ways to get better every practice."
Fiacco and his staff oversee a program of 37 players. His assistant staff includes Lucas Kern, Jason Maurer, Greg Boulanger, Sal Sorrentino, Carson Roseliep and Tim Meyer. In addition to coaching, Fiacco is a physical education teacher at Horicon High School. Fiacco and his wife, Sarah, have one son, Colt, and three daughters, Callie, Casey and Cameron.
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 2023 high school football season. Winners are awarded several items and privileges, including a $2,000 donation to the school's football program from the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Wild Wings 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, Football Outreach Manager, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
