Indianapolis – Kyle Ralph of New Palestine High School has been named the Colts/NFL Coach of the Week, a program presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Indianapolis Colts officials announced today.
Ralph was nominated and selected for the award after leading the Dragons to their 47th straight regular season win by defeating Class 6A No. 9 Center Grove 31-9.
The 2018 season marks the 19th year the Colts will recognize outstanding Indiana high school football coaches through this program.
All high school head coaches in the state are eligible regardless of their school size, league or division. Coaches are evaluated on various factors including the coach's impact on his team, school and community, as well as performance of the team. The honorees are selected by a panel of football media, former athletic directors and other football representatives from across the state.
Each Monday following a high school football game weekend, one head coach will be announced as the honoree. At the conclusion of the high school season, each winning coach will receive a $1,000 donation from the NFL Foundation, as well as a framed certificate signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Colts general manager Chris Ballard, head coach Frank Reich and youth football commissioner Mike Prior. What's more, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will contribute an additional $1,000 to the school's athletic fund.
The following coaches were recognized as honorable mentions for Week 2:
| Region | Coach | School |
|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Darren Rodriguez | Portage |
| Region 2 | Keith Kinder | Mishawaka |
| Region 3 | Doug Dinan | Fort Wayne Carroll |
| Region 4 | Josh Strasser | Delphi |
| Region 5 | Dennis Bentzler | Taylor |
| Region 6 | Mark Bless | Avon |
| Region 7 | Rob Doyle | Bishop Chatard |
| Region 9 | Tony Ahrens | Jasper |
| Region 10 | Reed May | Brownstown Central |
For more information, contact Andy Matis of Colts Youth Football at (317) 808-5322, or visit Colts.com/HighSchoolFootball.
