De Pere has actually discovered its brand-new football train, as well as he will certainly be an acquainted face to university football followers in the state.

Previous Wisconsin Badgers defensive back Ben Strickland will certainly change Chad Michalkiewicz as the brand-new leader of the Redbirds.

He functioned as offending planner at Madison Edgewood the previous 2 periods as well as the protective planner the previous 2 as well as will certainly be an unique education and learning instructor at De Pere.

“He’s a definitely sensational person,” stated Edgewood train Jesse Norris, that made Strickland his initial hire when he obtained the task in 2018. “I’ve leaned on him these previous 4 years. I would certainly state that a great deal of our success has a whole lot to do with his participation.

“He has an incredible relationship with our professional athletes. He is sensational at developing connections with trainees, with moms and dads, with professors, with team.”

It’s Strickland’s initial head mentoring task, yet he shows up with a lot of experience.

He began his mentoring occupation as the protective backs train under Hall of Famer Dave Nelson at Minnetonka Secondary School in Minnesota in 2008 prior to returning to Wisconsin as well as signing up with the Badgers as a quality assurance planner.

Strickland was a graduate aide in 2010 as well as 2011 prior to being advertised to protective backs train in 2012.

He invested 3 periods in the setting as well as was Wisconsin’s recruiting planner prior to being worked with as the additional train at Florida Atlantic College in 2015.  

“For myself, I had the possibility to gain from some actually terrific trains as well as guys,” Strickland stated. “Have a great deal of coaches to lean on, particularly at the senior high school degree. I obtained a possibility to train under Dave Nelson, as well as things I removed from him was his capacity to bring the area really feel to a football program. The power that brought as well as the feeling of belonging.

“Train Nelson was constantly a man that was charitable with his time. Kind with his heart. As a football train you don’t constantly see that.”

He just invested one year with Nelson, yet among the largest perceptions he left on him took place when Strickland went back to go to Nelson’s retired life event after he tipped down in 2019.

“Simply to see the influence he made by the variety of individuals that existed, by the tales that were informed,” Strickland stated. “It offered me a sensation of where I felt I belonged also as well as intended to do the exact same points as the tales I was listening to.”  

Strickland got in the mix reasonably late at De Pere as well as after the preliminary of online meetings were performed. It was a task he had actually maintained his eye on, as well as when a couple of points didn’t exercise in the Madison location, he really felt urged to maintain searching for an opening as a head train.

He sent his application as well as profile to De Pere, as well as one discussion with the management caused an additional.

Strickland was a walk-on cornerback at Wisconsin — he was a colleague of previous Badgers terrific Joe Thomas at Brookfield Central — as well as played 51 ready the group from 2004 to 2007. He was chosen a captain as an elderly.

Probably he’s best understood for his deal with unique groups, most significantly in October 2005 when he recuperated an obstructed punting ultimately area in the last min to assist lead Wisconsin to an exhilarating return win at Minnesota.

Simply don’t anticipate him to inform his brand-new group concerning it.

Norris stated Strickland never ever discussed it as soon as to the gamers, although they at some point identified that No. 3 on the Badgers that racked up the goal versus the Gophers was just one of their aide trains.

If De Pere gamers should occur to learn similarly?

“They will certainly be amazed to see exactly how much I’ve dropped,” Strickland stated, chuckling.

Strickland mentioned that his having fun days as well as those magnificence days more than. It’s about his gamers currently.

He takes control of a Redbirds group that has actually gone 16-2 the last 2 periods as well as is the ruling Fox River Standard Conference-North champ.

De Pere will certainly shed some significant ability to college graduation this springtime, consisting of linebackers Caleb Rinard as well as Luke Brosig, protective back Matthew Ahrenholtz, offending electrician Miles Salinas as well as pass receiver Jack May.

However there is lots to deal with.

The Redbirds will certainly have beginning quarterback Gabe Herman for a 3rd period, along with all-conference offending electrician Ross Rowland as well as Milo Upton, limited end Noah Gehin, running back Devin Koskey, protective end Brennan Kincade as well as linebacker Michael Alexander.

It’s a little bit late in the year to take control of a football program, yet Strickland isn’t fretted. He desires the student-athletes to appreciate their whole senior high school experience, consisting of playing various other sporting activities as well as focusing on academics.

“With the mix of all those points, I understand exactly how vital football was to me, yet I additionally desire children to be delighted concerning football as well as not obtain stressed out by it,” Strickland stated. “I believe it’s a tighter timeline than most individuals are utilized to seeing, yet I don’t believe there is any type of time out in my mind to have a scale of determining as well as determining what children are efficient, what trains are efficient as well as having the ability to have discussion as well as discussion concerning duties as well as exactly how they really feel valued.

“Type of put that puzzle entirely.”