The Packers have announced Roland Lehman of Mauston High School in Mauston, Wis., has been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week. The program is presented by Jack Link's Protein Snacks.
Lehman, in his seventh year as the varsity head coach of Mauston, led the Golden Eagles to a 36-24 victory against the Wautoma High School Hornets on Friday, Sept. 14. The game was the first conference action of the 2018 season for both teams. The victory improves the Golden Eagles' overall record to 4-1, tying their best start to a season since 2001. Lehman and his team look to add another South Central Conference game victory when they travel to Adams-Friendship to take on the Green Devils on Friday, Sept. 21.
Lehman knew it would take a total team effort to beat the Hornets.
"It's always a tough place for us to play, as they are one of the better teams in the conference," Lehman said. "Our special teams did a great job with some returns and some kickoffs into the end zone. Defensively, we really buckled down when we needed to. And offensively, we were able to really move the ball well through the air, and – especially toward the end of the game – on the ground. We picked up some big first downs, and toward the end of the game we got a really good drive going to put the game a little bit out of reach."
Lehman grew up in Hibbing, Minn., where he graduated from Hibbing High School in 1989. Throughout high school, he participated in football, playing outside linebacker, as well as wrestling. Following high school, he went on to graduate from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1995.
Lehman began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant coach for Durand Junior High School in Durand, Ill., and he went on to take an assistant coaching position for South Beloit High School in South Beloit, Ill. in 2005. He came to Mauston in 2007, and started coaching as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles. In 2012, Lehman took over the head varsity coaching position for Mauston.
Lehman feels the Coach of the Week Award is a true credit to his team as a whole.
"It's really a reflection on our whole team, community and coaching staff. We've got a bunch of good kids and we really stress being classy. Our kids are really good sports, and they do a lot of really great things. That is part of the culture within our school to be a class act on and off the field. As a coach, I can talk all I want about representing our school well, but our coaches and our kids are the ones that go out and emulate that on the field and off the field. I am just proud to be a part of this as a head coach."
Lehman and his staff oversee a program of 52 players, with 34 of them suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Ron Pfaff, Brandon Luehman, Randy Gyllin, Ralph Kratochvil, Raymond Weiss and Derek Felska.
In addition to coaching football, Lehman is also a physical education teacher at Mauston High School.
Lehman said he gives a lot of credit and thanks to his family for the team's success, including his wife, Jami, their daughter, Vanessa, and son, Spenser. Lehman's parents, Randall and Sarah Lehman, as well as his in-laws, Leah and Grant Boyle, are also very involved with the football program.
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 2018 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, Jack Link's Protein Snacks and the NFL Foundation, as well as recognition of the award on Packers.com, Wissports.net and Wifca.org.
Winning coaches will also take part in the Jack Link's High School Coach of the Week Game Ball Delivery where they will hand the game ball over to a member of the Packers staff or referee prior to a regular season home game.
Nominations for Coach of the Week should be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Ryan Fencl, Football Outreach Specialist, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. Please include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award.
