Row 1: (L-R) Paul Schwabe, Head Coach Pat Wagner, Tom Story; Row 2 (L-R) Kwabena Collins, Steve Wolf, George Willis, Jeff Sathe, Keith Mosely, Stan Smith; Not Pictured: Rob Dalecky, Shawn Bentley
Patrick Wagner, of Riverside University High School in Milwaukee, has been named Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week, the organization announced Saturday. Wagner is the first recipient of the award in 2006.
Wagner first came to Riverside University High School in 1996 as assistant defensive coordinator, a position he held for four seasons before his promotion to head coach in 2000.
"I'm honored that the Packers have acknowledged the hard work we are doing here," Wagner said. "We're trying to get city football headed in the right direction, and to be acknowledged by the leading football people in the state is a real honor."
Assisted by Stan Smith, Tom Story, Paul Schwartz, George Willis, Keith Mosley, Jeff Sathe, Steve Wolf, Rob Dalecky, Shawn Bently and Marcus Collins, Wagner and his staff oversee a varsity team of 40 players with more than 100 young men in the Riverside program.
Wagner also created the NFL Junior Player Development program in the Milwaukee area. Now in its third year, the program integrates on-field fundamentals with life skills and character development for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 14. More than 100 Milwaukee-area kids have benefited from the program under Coach Wagner's leadership.
Wagner was coached by Bob Berezowitz at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Jim Jeskewitz at Menomonee Falls (Wis.) High School. Both are members of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Wagner began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Berezowitz at UW-Whitewater in 1993. He also served as a youth football coach in Menomonee Falls, Wis., before joining the Riverside University High School coaching staff in 1996. He currently teaches both social studies and psychology.
The Tigers, a member of Division 1, compete in the Richardson Division of the Milwaukee City Conference. The squad has opened the 2006 season 1-1. Riverside University takes on conference foe Hamilton Friday at 7:30 p.m.
