Mark Lusic of Amherst High School has been named Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week, a program presented by the Wisconsin National Guard, the organization announced Wednesday.
Lusic, in his third season as the head coach of Amherst, led the Falcons to a 21-14 victory over No. 2-ranked Stratford in the third level of the WIAA Football Playoffs. Saturday's victory gave the Falcons their 11th consecutive win of the season and their first trip to the WIAA level four semifinals in school history. The Falcons will now travel to Stevens Point to face the Division 5 defending state champion Colby Hornets this coming Friday at 7:00 p.m.
"From the beginning of the season our team motto has been, 'Get better every day,'" says Lusic. "Since then, our players have bought into the program and put a lot of time into the weight room to increase their strength and speed. We've gotten better every week and expect to get better this week heading into Colby."
A Milwaukee native, Lusic is a 1998 graduate of Catholic Memorial High School where he played quarterback under former Packers Coach of the Week and Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee Bill Young. Upon graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2004, Lusic was hired as an assistant coach at Waterford High School. After two years, he accepted an assistant coaching position at Waupaca High School, where he spent four seasons. In 2010 Lusic accepted his current position at Amherst. Lusic is also the school's social studies teacher.
Lusic and his staff oversee a program of 55 players. His assistant coaching staff includes Logan Feldt, Bennett Hansen, Paul Higgins, Rudy Pate, Greg Smidt, Doug Spadoni, Gary Villnow, Zach Weller and Mike Zblewski.
Lusic and his wife, Aimee, have two children, Maddie and Cal.
The Packers and the Wisconsin National Guard will recognize one outstanding high school coach as their 'Coach of the Week' winner during the 2012 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, Wisconsin National Guard and the NFL, as well as recognition of the award on Packers.com.
Nominations for Coach of the Week should be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Tim Schroeder, youth football coordinator, at coachoftheweek@packers.com (e-mail) or by fax at (920) 569-7302. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
