WAUKESHA, Wis. — As fall football games begin, one Wisconsin coach is celebrating a milestone.

This season marks 50 years of coaching for Bill Young. Forty-nine of those have been at the same school: Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha.

“Sometimes, I just feel like I am the luckiest guy on the block,” said Young.

What You Need To Know

  • This season marks 50 years of coaching for Bill Young

  • For 49 of those years, he's been at Catholic Memorial High School, earning the football team nine state chamionships

  • In his five decades of coaching, he has also helped a lot of young men get college scholarships and even NFL tryouts

  • He said building respectable men and preparing his teams for life is the real reward

But it’s more about his hard work and skill than luck. Young, 72, is in the National High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. He has coached Catholic Memorial to nine state championships. He said he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. 

“If God keeps me healthy and in good shape, and we got players to coach, it’s a year-by-year thing for me right now, but I do have a passion and got great respect for football,” he said.

He said he couldn’t do it without the support and sacrifice of his wife and three kids. Young said he’s also thankful for all the other coaches he’s worked with over the years.

In his five decades of coaching, he has helped a lot of young men get college scholarships and even NFL tryouts. Two of his current players, Donovan Harbour and Corey Smith, will play football at Penn State next year.

“He’s guided me through school, academics, athletics and everything,” said Harbour. “He’s a figure in our lives that is so important. I can’t tell you all he’s done for me.”

“What inspires me is his dedication,” said Smith. “He always tells us that the worst thing anyone can call you is lazy. He always talks to us about respecting women, and to be the best we can be.” 

Athletic Director Matt Bergan works closely with Young and considers him a close friend. Years ago, Young was Bergan’s high school football coach. 

“It’s really impressive to watch the relationships that he builds with young students when they come in, and the way that he can help morph them into becoming really classy young men that we’re really proud of here at Catholic Memorial High School,” said Bergan. “Coach Young just deserves so much credit for his mentorship.”

For Young, that’s what it’s all about. Winning games is fun, but he said building respectable men and preparing his teams for life is the real reward. 

“To take pride on what you do on a daily basis,” he added. “Be the best person you can be and live a life that matters. Make an impression on somebody.”

It’s an impression that he’ll continue to make on more lives through a game that has defined his.

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