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AWARDS: Terry Hessbrook, Head Coach of Ithaca Wins Detroit Lions/Michigan National Guard 2012 Coach of the Year Award!
Friday, December 7, 2012
TERRY HESSBROOK OF ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL NAMED 2012 DETROIT LIONS HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR
Michigan National Guard on Board as Presenting Sponsor of High School Coach of the Week/Year Program
Detroit, MI—The Detroit Lions have named Terry Hessbrook of Ithaca High School the 2012 High School Coach of the Year, presented by the Michigan National Guard.
On November 23, Hessbrook led his Yellowjackets to a 37-27 victory over Constantine in the Division 6 Michigan High School Football State Championship at Ford Field. With this victory, Ithaca has won three straight state championships in Division 6 and has become the 1st football program in state history to win a state championship in 3 seasons with an undefeated record. Ithaca has 42 straight victories and currently has the 4th longest winning streak in state history.
Now in his 17th season at Ithaca (9th as head coach), Hessbrook has a record of 87-17 at Ithaca. Hessbrook spent 5 years as head coach at Montabella before going back to coach at his alma mater. Hessbrook was named a Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week in 2010.
Coach of the Week/Year Program
Each week throughout the 2012 nine-week high school football regular season, one coach that best develops his players’ character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program, will be recognized for his commitment to the team, school, and community. The winner is selected by a panel of high school football media members—Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (107.3 FM-WBBL, Grand Rapids), and Scott DeCamp (Mlive.com/Kalamazoo).
This season’s program awarded $22,000 to aid in the development and promotion of high school football in the state of Michigan thanks to contributions from the Detroit Lions and the National Football League and presenting sponsor, Michigan National Guard.
Each winning coach throughout the regular season received a $2,000 donation to his school’s football program. All weekly winners will be honored at an awards ceremony during the Lions-Bears game at Ford Field on December 30. During the ceremony, the Lions will also introduce Hessbrook as the High School Coach of the Year. Hessbrook will receive a $4,000 donation to his team’s football program.
In addition to the monetary award, all winners receive a certificate signed by Lions’ head coach Jim Schwartz and National Football League (NFL) commissioner Roger Goodell. Winning coaches also receive a personalized game ball and a Detroit Lions “Coach of the Week/Year” hat.
Concluding its’ 16th year, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week/Year program has awarded $312,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan. For more information on the Detroit Lions
High School Coach of the Week/Year program, contact Chris Fritzsching, Lions’ Director of Youth Football, at 313-262-2248.
Coach of the Year Recipients:
1997 John Herrington – Farmington Hills Harrison
1998 Thomas Mach – Detroit Catholic Central
1999 Don Durrett – Saginaw
2000 Herb Brogan – Jackson Lumen Christi
2001 John Schwartz – Mendon
2002 Mike Boyd – Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
2003 Scot Shaw – Three Rivers
2004 Noel Dean – Lowell
2005 Jack Pratt – Flint Powers
2006 Tony Annese – Muskegon
2007 Jim Reynolds – Detroit King
2008 Peter Stuursma – East Grand Rapids
2009 Rich Hulkow – Marshall
2010 Chris Bell – Lake Orion
2011 Thomas Wilcher – Detroit Cass Tech
2012 Terry Hessbrook – Ithaca
2012 Coach of the Week recipients:
Week 1: Denny Hopkins – Linden
Week 2: John Bechtel – Farmington
Week 3: Shane Fairfield – Muskegon
Week 4: Marcelle Carruthers – Lansing Everett
Week 5: Denny Dock – Stevensville Lakeshore
Week 6: George Porritt – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
Week 7: Marty Spencer – St. Ignace LaSalle
Week 8: Troy Schelke – Harbor Beach
Week 9: Derek Pennington – Zeeland East
