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Coach Hernandez of Tomahawk Named Packer Coach of the Week Published on 11/06/2020 under Sports

The Packers have announced that Sam Hernandez of Tomahawk High School in Tomahawk, Wis., has been named the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week.

Hernandez, in his second year as head coach of the Hatchets, has his team at 2-4 overall this season and 2-3 in Northwoods Conference play. The Hatchets look to even their conference record Friday, Nov. 6, as they close out their regular season against Coleman High School.

Since taking over the team this past year, Hernandez's impact has been felt not only on the football field, but on the whole community. From helping elderly people move to new homes, assisting community members who need help with their yard work, and volunteering at the local Kinship of Tomahawk, the team continues to pursue a variety of ways to help others in need. Not only has giving back been beneficial to the community, but it has also been uplifting for the players.

"I think for a lot of them, it gives them a sense of pride and a sense of doing something for others," said Hernandez. "And as a football program, we want people to come sit in the stands and watch us play, and we feed off of that. So this is an opportunity for us to provide a platform for these kids to do good things for others without anything in return. If we can send the players out into life after high school with that skillset of doing good things to be good people, then that is a great lesson for them to take."

Hernandez graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Wis., in 2004. Throughout high school, he participated in football, basketball and baseball. He played nose tackle, running back and kicker under head coach Mike Zimmerman. Following high school, he went on to graduate from UW-Whitewater in 2009. In addition to coaching other high school sports, Hernandez's football coaching career began as an assistant coach for Lake Mills High School in 2008. He went on to coach at Johnson Creek High School in 2013, before being named the head coach of the Hatchets in 2019.

To Hernandez, the Coach of the Week Award speaks to the work being done by the program on and off the field.

"This award is really an award for the kids, the program and my coaching staff. I'm just one person as part of a bigger group. I'm so honored to have our program and have our kids be recognized for this because they do work hard. We've struggled in terms of wins over the last couple of years, but the kids work hard, the coaching staff works hard every week, and we do work in the community and outside of the football field. To see those kids get recognized with other programs around the state, is a really cool opportunity for this program and highlights the really good things that we are doing."

Hernandez and his staff oversee a program of 43 players with 33 suiting up for varsity games. His assistant staff includes Andy Peissig, Jeremy Zimmerman, Aaron Evans, Dave Long, Jon Long, Nick Schertz and Steven Shrigley. In addition to being the head coach, Hernandez is also an English teacher at the high school. Hernandez and his wife, Ashley, have three sons, Derek, Brett and Vaughn.

About the Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week Program:

The Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week program supports football outreach efforts by giving high school coaches the recognition they deserve. Nominations can be submitted by 10 a.m. every Monday to Ryan Fencl, Packers football outreach specialist, at coachoftheweek@packers.com. All nominations should include the nominee's name, address, school, phone number and reason he/she is deserving of the award. This year, because some schools have postponed their football seasons to the spring due to COVID-19, the Packers are seeking coaches to be nominated regardless of their teams' on-field performance or whether they are playing in the fall or spring. Rather, the nominee could be honored for how they have turned programs around, how the team has impacted the community, or how the coach impacts the players and their families.

In Other News

Hatchet Hub Provides Students with Essential Resources Like Hygiene Products, Clothing, and Food

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Published on 10/16/2026 under News In coordination with National Move Over Day on Saturday, law enforcement officers across Wisconsin are sharing an important safety reminder to leave a lane of space when passing roadside workers and stopped vehicles. Throughout the week, Wisconsin State Patrol troopers are stepping up enforcement of the state's Move Over Law while handing out educational flyers to motorists stopped for violations. State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan emphasized the danger of roadside stops, saying, "Stopping alongside the road can be very dangerous... Our officers will be working to educate motorists about the law and remind them that moving over or slowing down can protect lives." Over the past five years, roadside incidents in Wisconsin have injured 128 people and claimed six lives. The original Move Over Law focused on emergency, utility, and maintenance vehicles with active warning lights, but it was later expanded to protect any disabled vehicle using hazard lights or flares, or with visible occupants nearby. Drivers on multi-lane roads are required to shift out of the lane closest to stopped vehicles—or slow down if changing lanes isn't safely possible. Violators face fines of up to $300, with far steeper penalties if a crash or injury occurs.

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Published on 10/16/2026 under News Student actors from across the Northwoods will take the stage in Tomahawk this weekend. Tomahawk High School is hosting the District Fall One-Act Play Competition on Saturday. The host Hatchets will kick off the performances at 9:00 AM with their production of "Lost in the Woods" by Stephen Murray. The play follows a group of tech-free wilderness campers who get lost and encounter mysterious forest creatures and an eccentric counselor before help arrives. Tomahawk is aiming to secure its 11th consecutive trip to the state festival next month. Following Tomahawk's opening act, productions from Crandon, Northland Pines, and Oconto Falls will take the stage at the top of each hour. All performances are free and open to the public.

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