Detroit, MI - The Detroit Lions have named Tom Alward of Goodrich High School the 2024 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year. Alward's Martians defeated the Niles Vikings 35-6 to win the MHSAA Division 4 title, the school's first football state championship. The Martians, from the Flint Metro League, Stars Division, concluded their season with a 13-game winning streak, finishing 13-1 (the most wins in a single season in school history) and outscored their opponents 570-142 (40.7 pts./10.1 pts.).
Alward completed his 47th season of coaching high school football, having spent the last 32 seasons as head coach at Goodrich High School compiling a 210-117 (64.2%) record. His Martians have made the playoffs 21 times including eight years in a row, won six district championships and two regional crowns while reaching the Division 4 state championship game two of the last three seasons.
Alward has coached high school football since 1977, spending 9 years at Flint Central High School, 5 years at his alma mater, Burton Bendle, and 1 year as an assistant at Goodrich before taking over the Goodrich football program. He was a member of the 1971 national championship team, a two-year starter at guard and 2nd team All Big 8 selection at the University of Nebraska, drafted by the New York Jets in the 6th round (pick 153) of the 1975 NFL draft and became the first player signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976. Alward was enshrined in the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association in 2013 and selected as a Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week during Week 6 of the 2014 season.
Alward was notified of his 2024 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year selection on Head Coach Hangout. See his reaction and the entire interview by visiting www.DetroitLions.com/coachoftheyear.
Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week/Year Program
Each week throughout the 2024 high school football regular season, one coach that best demonstrates success on and off the field, develops players' character, discipline, and football skill in addition to emphasizing player health and safety in their program, was recognized for his commitment to the team, school, and community. Each Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week during the regular season received a $1,000 donation to his school's football program.
Alward was selected as the 2024 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year by a panel of high school football media members - Mick McCabe (Detroit Free Press), Hugh Bernreuter (Saginaw News), Bret Bakita (WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, 96.1 FM- The Game, Fox 17/Grand Rapids), James Cook (Traverse City Record-Eagle) and Scott DeCamp (Promotion & Media Specialist) and one vote from the public online voting at DetroitLions.com. He will receive a $3,000 donation to his school's football program and will be honored as the Detroit Lions nominee for the prestigious Don Shula NFL High School Football Coach of the Year award.
Concluding its' 28th season, the Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week/Year program awarded $12,000 in 2024 to aid in the development and promotion of high school football in the state of Michigan, while the overall program has awarded $515,000 to high school football programs throughout the state of Michigan in its' 28 seasons.
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 Martin Luther 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, 2021 - Josh Lucas, Chelsea, 2022 - Tyrone Spencer, Detroit Martin Luther King, 2023 - Shane Fairfield, Muskegon, 2024 - Tom Alward, Goodrich
