George Czart, who led Lockport Township to its first Illinois high school football state championship since 2003, is the 2021 Chicago Bears High School Coach of the Year. The Porters, who won the Class 8A championship this year, finished the season ranked No. 103 in the High School America national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
Related: High School Football America national rankings
Czart becomes the Bears’ nominee for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award that will be awarded at the Pro Bowl in Las Vegas in February 2022.
“Being recognized as Coach of the Year and as a Don Shula nominee is an honor that I have to share with and give thanks to many people,” Coach Czart said in a new release from the Bears. “We, here at LTHS, have truly succeeded together to accomplish a great feat that the whole community can be proud of. I humbly accept the award on behalf of the community, administration, alumni, parents, staff, coaches and most of all the players that made it happen. Thank you to the Chicago Bears organization for recognizing that we, the Porter Nation, succeeded together.”
Czart took-over as the head coach at Lockport in 2019, after serving as the assistant coach at Lincoln-Way West High School. He was the defensive coordinator for Lockport from 1994-2006, during which time the Porters won two state championships in 2002 and 2003.
The year before Czart took-over the program, the Porters finished 0-9.
The Bears will make a $2,000 donation to the LTHS football program in Czart’s honor.
The @ChicagoBears are proud to recognize Coach Czart of @LockportHS205 as the Chicago Bears High School ‘Coach of the Year’ brought to you by @Athletico & our #DonShula nominee.
— Chicago Bears (@BearsOutreach) December 14, 2021
Coach Czart led his team to an 8A State Championship this season! https://t.co/ES93u3NNhr pic.twitter.com/IcazW56Wlo
The Chicago Bears “Coach of the Week” program was launched in 1996. The “Coach of the Week” program honors outstanding Illinois high school coaches who develop players’ football skills and knowledge, character, leadership, discipline and teamwork abilities.
Deserving high school coaches are nominated by a panel of local prep authorities. Since the program’s inception, which also includes the “High School All-Star” program that began in 2011, the Bears have donated more than $326,500 to Illinois high schools in support of their football programs.
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2021 Chicago Bears Coach of the Week Winners
Week 8 – Gavin Johnston – Reed-Custer HS
Week 7 – Jake Brosman, Hampshire HS
Week 6 – Mike Fitzgerald, York HS
Week 5 – Matt Miller, St. Ignatius Prep
Week 4 – Corey Olson, Palatine HS
Week 3 – Dave Mills, Wauconda HS
Week 2 – Dennis Piron, Batavia HS
Week 1 – Peter Panagakis, Wheeling HS
2021 Chicago Bears High School All-Star
Week 8 – Aiden Cyr, Hoffman Estates HS
Week 7 – Jordan Anderson, Joliet Catholic HS
Week 6 – Zach Hinds, Riverton Academy HS
Week 5 – Chase Hanson, Mascoutah HS
Week 4 – Marco Maldonado, Loyola Academy
Week 3 – Hector Ramirez, Chicago Academy HS
Week 2 – Kaiden Miller, Grayslake Central HS
Week 1 – Hank Beatty, Rochester HS
