On Monday morning, Northwood-Solon Springs football coach Brian Trettin was going about his day as usual when his phone rang. On the line was a representative from Green Bay Packers calling to tell Trettin he'd been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week.
"It was a great way to start the morning," Trettin said. "These kids deserve it. Sometimes you think you're way up here, and nobody even knows you're here."
The Evergreen players were also caught off guard by the attention of the Packers organization.
"I'm surprised they've even heard of us," said senior Josh Malone.
As part of the recognition, the Evergreen football program will receive a $2,000 donation on behalf of the Packers and the Wisconsin National Guard.
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The Evergreens were nominated for the award following their victory over Shell Lake, which had been ranked in the state among Division 7 teams.
Through the first five games of the 2011 season, Trettin's Evergreens have blazed out to a 4-1 start. Friday's 28-7 victory over Shell Lake marks the school's first win over the Lakers in school history. It also gave the Evergreen's their fourth consecutive win, a feat that has not been achieved since their 1981 season.
A Superior native, Trettin is a 2001 graduate of Superior High School where he played running back under Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee Tom Mestelle. Following high school, Trettin attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
As a freshman, Trettin began his coaching career at the youth level. In 2002 he was promoted to a high school assistant for his alma mater. After one-year stints at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Whitehall High School, Trettin spent four years at Ashland High School before accepting his current position in 2011. Trettin is also the physical education and health teacher at Northwood High School.
Trettin and his staff oversee a program of 27 players. His assistant coaching staff includes Jeff Daleiden, Ben Kidder, Randy Kidder, Jeff Liermann, Dennis Mertzig, Dale Rajala, Keith Wehmhoefer and Nate Winterhof.
Trettin and his wife, Brooke, are expecting their first child in January.
