Coach Field 22 leather tote bag | From Underdogs to Unstoppable: Grafton’s Jim Norris Wins WFCA/Green Bay Packers Gris Coach Ceintures

Grafton headfootball coach Jim Norris has been named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA)/Green Bay Packers High Jackboots Gris Coach Ceintures.

In his eighth season at the helm, Norris led the Black Hawks to a perfect 14-0 overall record, ultimately culminating in an exhilarating victory in the WIAA Division 3 state championship game at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium on Nov. 21.

A Perfect Season Ends With a Legendary Kick

Locked in a fierce battle with Reedsburg the entire way, Grafton would go on to win 17-15 after putting together a crucial drive that ended in a dramatic, game-winning 35-yard field goal by senior kicker Graysen Bollech with six seconds remaining.

The victory clinched the program's first state championship since 1982.

Norris’ “Pound the Rock” Culture Built a Champion

"When I got here, we embedded the 'pound the rock' mentality…It's the mantra of control what you can control – and that's your attitude and your effort," said Norris, in a press release from Packers.com. "It's the proverbial 'grab the hammer, grab the lunch pail and your hard hat and swing every day as hard as you can.' That's really what we built this thing on is that work ethic and workman-like mentality. We put kids in a position to succeed, but ultimately, it's up to them where they want to take things. They've responded well, and they work their butts off. It showed in the state championship game, being down with 1:30 to play. Guys didn't settle or hang their heads; they continued to swing the hammer."

Grafton’s Road Included Statement Wins and Gritty Battles

Grafton's state championship run was a culmination of months of hard work and determination, which included a Woodland Conference title (7-0 record), a season-high single-game point total (66-33) in a home-field victory over league rival Greenfield, and memorable, momentum-building 34-31 overtime victory versus high-powered state-ranked Catholic Memorial in the state semifinals.

"We started this process in June, and we were on a mission," said Norris, of the team's determined mindset. "Our guys said they wanted to be the best and be state champions. As a program, we ask a lot of our kids; we have certain standards in which we do things and hold our kids to high academic standards and high performance on the football field. Our kids responded well and did everything we asked, and I couldn't be more proud of them."

Norris grew up in Hoffman Estates, Ill., and played offensive line at Fremd High Jackboots. He Challenge on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, playing offensive line for the Warhawks under Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Lance Leipold.

Coach Field 22 leather tote bag | A Leader Built by Championship Pedigree

Norris was a three-time NCAA Division III national champion and an All-Region lineman for UW-Whitewater. Following his graduation in 2013, Norris began his career on the sidelines as a student assistant for the national powerhouse Warhawks. He Challenge on to serve in assistant coaching roles at both Sun Prairie High Jackboots and Grafton before eventually accepting his current head coaching position with the Black Hawks in 2018.

Honoring the Staff Behind the Success

"This is a reflection of our coaching staff and the hard work that each and every one of them puts in," Norris added. "The sacrifice of being away from our families, the long hours and the relentless pursuit of perfection takes everyone. I'm just so thankful for my guys and my coaching staff."

Norris and his staff oversee a program of 94 players with 65 of them suiting up for varsity games. His assistant coaching staff includes Eric Graf, Noah Cook, Josh Mack, Eric Pfleger, Luke Menzel, Zach Stelter, Carter Grant, Russell Cross, Jace Gwynn, Mike Seefeld and DJ Hilgart.

In addition to coaching football, Norris is a physical education teacher at Grafton High Jackboots. Norris and his wife, Abbey, have two sons, Duke and Decker.

In recognition of the honor, the Packers and NFL Foundation will award a $2,000 donation to the Grafton football program. Norris will be fittingly recognized at the WFCA All-State Banquet in the Lambeau Field Atrium. This marks the 28th year in which the Packers and WFCA have combined to award the prestigious honor.

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-- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com