Hannack to coach in WFCA All-Star Classic

• Elmwood's Jerry Hannack

Jerry Hannack has been chosen to coach in the WFCA All-Star Classic football game in July.

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ELMWOOD - The right moment at the right time.

Jerry Hannack had been nominated several times to be one of the head coaches in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association’s Annual All-Star Classic held the third Saturday in July in Oshkosh, but had usually asked his name to be removed from consideration.

Until now.

Feeling the moment and the time right, Hannack has accepted the post of North All-Stars squad head coach for the small school game for 2010. Hannack was selected the week of the state finals.

“Coaches nominate other coaches from schools large and small and the names are put on a list and picked from there,” Hannack said. “It’s always something I’ve wanted to do and I had been nominated for head coach before and had asked to be removed from the list. This year I let it go though because I feel I’ve been a head coach long enough and that’s who I feel should be named to coach these games, those who have proven themselves over the long run.“

Hannack said he also received strong encouragement from his family to take up the post. After all, he’s been to Oshkosh many times for many of these all-star games when they were once run by the Shriners’ Club and now the WFCA. He’s been at UW-Oshkosh’s Titan Stadium as both an assistant coach and as fan watching such former Elmwood players like Cody Rose and Michael Brunner take part in the game. He makes it a family vacation.

But it will be no vacation this time around as Hannack says he has a lot of work ahead of him to prepare for July’s game.

“It’s a big task. I have a lot of work to do myself and I work with a lot people, players and their families.” Hannack said.

Hannack will have to choose his assistants and a roster of players from the many medium and small schools in northern Wisconsin spanning from Grantsburg and St. Croix Falls in the Indianhead all the way to Peshtigo and Florence on the Michigan border with schools like state champion Edgar and state runner-ups Chippewa Falls McDonell and Eau Claire Regis in between.

“I’ll certainly need to choose coaches from the northeast who know the players better in that area,” Hannack said. “I know we will put together a very good ballclub given all the good football players we have in northern Wisconsin. My experience as assistant coach will help me set up our team.”

Hannack describes the experience as win-win-win.

“It’s a win for the Children’s Hospital were the proceeds of the game go towards,” Hannack said. “It’s a win for football fans who get to see the state’s best in action and a win for the players who’ve worked hard to get there. They get to meet so many knew people, kids like them who they’ve become, in some case, life-long friends.”

Hannack said the roster for the North squad should be in place by next week.

Tags: youth sports, sports, football, elmwood