Wisconsin’s Barry Alvarez recognizes the challenges coaches face today. They are different in many ways than the ones he faced as the coach of Mason City High School in Iowa when he led the school to a state championship in 1978.
“I think right now with the attention put on so much on injuries and concussions it really takes a special person be able to sell football to a community,” Alvarez said. “We've seen a drop in numbers in the years, and it takes someone who can get out and do the right thing and sell the program and teach football in a safe manner."
Alvarez recognizes that. He is working with U.S. Cellular to award the Most Valuable Coach, an award designed to honor coaches for their work on and off the field. The field has been trimmed down to 15 coaches. Fans can visit TheMostValuableCoach.com to vote for those coaches through 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 18.
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The two winning coaches will be announced Nov. 21 and will be recognized at the Under Armour All-America High School Game on Jan. 1.
Alvarez said high school coaches today have to put more emphasis on player safety, and that’s being done. It should help the future at all levels, he said.
"It's never an easy job, but it's a job that's when it's done right really benefits so many people and the community,” Alvarez said. “The high school coach has to let it trickle it down to youth football and teach those coaches the proper way and help them promote the game.”
Alvarez launched his coaching career by leading the 1978 Mason City High School football team to a state championship in 1978 before going on to coach at Wisconsin, where he’s now the athletic director. He reunited with that team earlier this year as part of that campaign. That’s why he chose to help with this campaign, and he said the response has been “off the charts.”
"To me it’s a way to thank the coaches for what they’ve done for the community, how they’ve supported the young people and just their service,” Alvarez said. “Sometimes it’s overlooked, and this is one way for a community to get behind a coach and say thank you."
