The following is from the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have named Bill DeFillippo of Livonia Churchill High School the week six recipient of the 2021 High School Football Coach of the Week Program. DeFillippo’s Chargers defeated Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA)-East Division opponent Livonia Franklin 42-14 to move to 6-0 on the season. In week #3, Churchill defeated No. 1 Belleville 28-21 for Belleville’s first regular season loss since 2016. Currently, Livonia Churchill is ranked #2 in Division 2.
DeFillippo is in his 24th season coaching high school football and in his 9th season as a head coach at Livonia Churchill. He spent 10 years as an assistant at Ann Arbor Huron and 5 years as offensive coordinator at Livonia Churchill before taking over the head coaching reigns. DeFillippo’s career record is 54-33 (62.1%) with six state playoff appearances. On Friday, October 8, Livonia Churchill travels to Dearborn to take on 5-1 Dearborn Fordson in KLAA East Division showdown.
Detroit Lions Football Education sat down with Bill DeFillippo to talk about the positive impact his student-athletes are having off the field with Livonia elementary school students and athletes of Special Olympics. He was also informed of his Coach of the Week selection on Head Coach Hangout.
Click here to watch an interview with Coach DeFillippo on the Lions Head Coach Hangout
High School Football Coach of the Week Program
In 2021, during the nine-week Michigan High School football regular season, one coach that best develops his players’ character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program, will be recognized for his commitment to the team, school, and community. Each weekly winner is selected by a panel of high school football media members – Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press), Hugh Bernreuter (MLive-Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, ESPN 96.1 FM-Fox 17/Grand Rapids), James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle), Scott DeCamp (MLive-Muskegon Chronicle) and the Lions Director of Football Education, Chris Fritzsching.
The 2021 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 and the NFL Foundation.
Each winning coach during the regular season receives a $1,000 donation to his school’s football program. At the conclusion of the Michigan High School Football season, the Lions will select the High School Football Coach of the Year. The Coach of the Year receives a $3,000 donation to his school’s football program.
Currently in its’ 25th season, the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week/Year program has awarded $467,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan.
For more information on the Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week/Year program, contact Chris Fritzsching, Lions’ Director of Football Education, at [email protected].
2021 Detroit Lions Coach of the Week winners
Week 5 – Tim Swore, Carson City Crystal
Week 4 – Brad Zube, Ortonville-Brandon
Week 3 – Derek McLaughlin, Riverview
Week 2 – Cary Harger, Oakridge
Week 1 – Greg Vaughan, Traverse City West
All-Time Coach of the Year recipients:
1997-John Herrington, Farmington Hills Harrison, 1998-Thomas Mach, Detroit Catholic Central, 1999-Don Durrett, Saginaw, 2000-Herb Brogan, Jackson Lumen Christi, 2001-John Schwartz, Mendon, 2002-Mike Boyd, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, 2003-Scot Shaw, Three Rivers, 2004-Noel Dean, Lowell, 2005-Jack Pratt, Flint Powers, 2006-Tony Annese, Muskegon, 2007-Jim Reynolds, Detroit King, 2008-Peter Stuursma. East Grand Rapids, 2009-Rich Hulkow, Marshall, 2010-Chris Bell, Lake Orion, 2011-Thomas Wilcher, Detroit Cass Tech, 2012-Terry Hessbrook, Ithaca, 2013-Kurt Richardson, Clarkston, 2014-Dan Rohn, Grand Rapids West Catholic, 2015-John Shillito, Zeeland West, 2016-Elliot Uzelac, Benton Harbor, 2017-Mike Giannone, Warren De La Salle, 2018-Rick Bailey, Reading, 2019-Jim Ahern, Lansing Catholic, 2020-Rob Zimmerman, DeWitt
