DETROIT—The Detroit Lions have named Eric Methner of Midland High School the week six recipient of the 2017 Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan High School Football Coach of the Week Program. Methner's Chemics defeated 4th ranked Davison 39-24 to run their record to 5-1 on the season.
Methner has coached for 17 seasons and currently is in his 10th season as a head coach at Midland. He was the head coach at Coleman for 3 years (his alma mater) and for 4 years at Houghton Lake. The Chemics have made the state playoffs in seven of nine seasons under Methner, reaching the state regional finals four times. Methner's career record is 111-58 (65.7%) while being 77-26 (74.8%) at Midland. On Friday, October 6, the Chemics travel to Saginaw to take on the 1-5 Trojans in a Saginaw Valley League-Blue Division battle.
Methner has placed a priority on player health and safety by becoming certified in USA Football's Heads Up Football program. The Heads Up Football certification helps create a curriculum of football safety by promoting higher standards and consistent performance. Among the areas the Heads Up Football certification covers are concussion recognition & response, heat preparedness & hydration, sudden cardiac arrest, proper equipment fitting, shoulder tackling and blocking. As an athletic department, Midland High School provides baseline concussion testing for all student-athletes of contact sports including football.
High School Football Coach of the Week Program
Each week throughout the 2017 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 (former Detroit Free Press sports writer), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, ESPN 96.1 FM-Fox 17/Grand Rapids), and James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle).
This season's program will award $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, the NFL Foundation, presenting partner, Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan and associate partner, Gatorade.
Each winning coach during the regular season will receive a $2,000 donation to his school's football program and a sideline kit, courtesy of Gatorade. At the conclusion of the 2017 Michigan High School Football season, the Lions will also select the High School Football Coach of the Year. This season's Coach of the Year will receive a $4,000 donation to his school's football program, in addition to the Gatorade sideline kit. All winners receive a certificate signed by Lions' head coach Jim Caldwell and National Football League (NFL) commissioner Roger Goodell, a personalized game ball as well as acknowledgement at an upcoming Lions home game.
Currently in its 21st year, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week program has awarded $389,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan. For more information on the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week program, contact Chris Fritzsching, Lions' Director of Football Education, at 313-262-2248.
