The 2008 season marks the eleventh year the Indianapolis Colts will be recognizing outstanding Indiana High School football coaches through the Colts/NFL Coach of the Week program, presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
The Valparaiso Vikings beat the Penn Kingsmen in an overtime thriller, Friday night. The Vikings knocked off the Kingsmen 10-9 behind Head Coach Mark Hoffman's coaching prowess. The Valparaiso win snapped a 10-year losing streak to the Kingsmen.
Coach Hoffman is entering his thirty-second season as the Vikings leader and has posted a 207-139 record while at Valparaiso.
The Coach of the Week program was designed to recognize high school coaches who transform, through their hard work and dedication to young people, the best available athletes into high potential football players.
All high school head coaches in the state of Indiana are eligible regardless of their school size, league or division. Coaches are evaluated on various factors including the coach's impact on his team, school and community, as well as performance of the team. The honorees are selected by a panel of high school football media, former athletic directors and other football representatives from all regions of the state.
Each Monday, following a high school football game weekend, one head coach will be recognized and announced. Coach Dungy will also announce each week's winner in his weekly press conference.
At the conclusion of the high school football season, each winning coach will receive a framed certificate signed by Colts President Bill Polian and Colts Youth Football Commissioner Mike Prior, as well as a $1,000 donation from NFL Charities. In addition, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will contribute $1,000 for the school's athletic fund.
The following coaches were recognized as honorable mentions for Week 1:
Region 1: Winner
Region 2: Phil Teagarden of Elkhart Memorial
Region 3: Sherwood Haydock of Harding
Region 4: Scott Mannering of Lewis Cass
Region 5: Brett Colby of Kokomo
Region 6: Herb King of Rockville
Region 7: John Hart of Warren Central
Region 8: Rick Wimmer of Fishers
Region 9: Tony Lewis of Evansville Reitz
Region 10: Brian Balsmer of Paoli
