The Green Bay Packers announced that Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) football head coach Pete McAdams was named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week Oct. 18.

The 2017 Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) football coaching staff, front row, from left: DuWayne Behnke, Nick Braemer, Mark Bohanski, Pete McAdams, Rich Riggs, Nate Betro and Greg Marty. Back row: John Miech, Mike Krenz, Matt Heilman, Ivan Kluck, Chris Haka, Jack Bahling and Jesse Johnson.
(Contributed photo)

In his 18th year as the head coach at SPASH, McAdams led the Panthers to a 26-24 victory over Fond du Lac Friday, Oct. 13. Fond du Lac had entered the game as the WisSports Coaches Poll No. 4-ranked team in Division 1.

The upset win in the final game of the regular season improved the Panthers’ record to 5-4 (4-4 in conference). McAdams was happy with the way his team handled the adversity in a back-and-forth final quarter.

“Our kids were able to persevere after falling down with just over two minutes to go when Fondy took the lead again,” said McAdams. “To get the ball back with 2:07 on the clock, and be able to muster up a 15-play drive in less than two minutes to get the ball into the end zone for a score was really exciting. For our kids to continue to believe in themselves against a very good football team made me proud of them.”

McAdams grew up in Ladd, Ill., and graduated from Hall High School in Spring Valley, Ill., in 1988. In high school, he was a three-sport athlete, as he played football and basketball and ran for the track and field team. In football, he played quarterback and defensive back for coach Gary Vicini.

In college, McAdams played safety for the football team at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) under head coach John Miech, who is currently in his first season as an assistant coach for McAdams at SPASH.

McAdams began his coaching career as an assistant coach for Miech at UWSP in 1992 and spent eight seasons on the staff through 1999. In the spring and summers of 1992, 1994 and 1995, McAdams also traveled overseas to coach football in Sweden. In 2000, he took the head coaching job at SPASH.

McAdams and his staff oversee a program of 148 players, with 70 players suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Jack Bahling, Mark Bohanski, DuWayne Behnke, Nick Braemer, Chris Haka, Matt Heilman, Jesse Johnson, Ivan Kluck, Michael Krenz, Greg Marty, John Miech, Rich Riggs, Matt Bredesen, Andy Wilkinson, Dan Gagnon, Mike Fox, Lance Lewis, Scott Zorn, Cody Fox, Ryan Zorn and Seth Zorn.

In addition to coaching football, McAdams is also a social studies teacher at SPASH.