Detroit, MI - The Detroit Lions have named Paul Reid of Saginaw Valley Lutheran High School the week eight recipient of the 2025 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week Program, presented by Carhartt. Reid's Chargers defeated Tawas 49-0 to move to 8-0 on the season. Valley Lutheran has set a single-season record for wins and has won the Tri-Valley Conference Blue Division for the first conference championship in school history. Valley Lutheran is currently ranked number 6 in Division 7. On Friday, October 24th, Valley Lutheran travels to Unionville-Sebewaing to take on the 6-2 Patriots in just the 9th matchup all-time between these two programs.
Reid, a Navy veteran, has been coaching high school football for over 40 years. Currently, he is in his 4th season as head coach at Valley Lutheran with a 19-17 record. At the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, Reid will have led the Chargers to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. He has also been head coach at Sanford Meridian and St. Louis.
Detroit Lions Football Education sat down with Reid to discuss his longevity as a high school football coach, how he's become a better, more patient coach during this time, the importance of sportsmanship and how surrounding yourself with good people can help build a football program the right way. Reid was also informed of his Coach of the Week selection on Head Coach Hangout. See his reaction and the entire interview by visiting www.DetroitLions.com/coachoftheweek.
High School Football Coach of the Week Program
Each week throughout the 2025 high school football regular season, one coach that best demonstrates success on the field, develops players' character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program will be recognized for their commitment to the team, school, and community. The winner is selected by a panel of high school football media members—Mick McCabe (retired Detroit Free Press writer), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, 96.1 FM- The Game, Fox 17/Grand Rapids), James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle) and Scott DeCamp (DeCamp Creative Solutions).
This season's program will award $12,000 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 and Carhartt.
Each winning coach during the regular season will receive a $1,000 donation to his school's football program. At the conclusion of the 2025 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 $3,000 donation to his school's football program. All winners will receive a certificate signed by Lions' head coach Dan Campbell and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Currently in its' 29th year, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week program has awarded $515,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan. For more information on the High School Coach of the Week program, contact Chris Fritzsching, Lions' Executive Director of Football Education, at chris.fritzsching@lions.nfl.net.
