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December 19, 2023

Huntley head football coach Mike Naymola, left and his dad Stan, pose at Bears headquarters, Halas Hall in Lake Forest. Naymola was honored as a Chicago Bears Coach of the Week winner Dec. 10 at Soldier Field. Photo provided.
Steve Peterson
Huntley head football coach Mike Naymola, left and his dad Stan, pose at Bears headquarters, Halas Hall in Lake Forest. Naymola was honored as a Chicago Bears Coach of the Week winner Dec. 10 at Soldier Field. Photo provided.

Features, Sports • December 19, 2023

Bears present Naymola with honor

By

HUNTLEY — Huntley head football coach Mike Naymola was among nine Chicago Bears Coach of the Week award winners who enjoyed two days of seeing NFL football up close. They were at the Bears’ Halas Hall and then watched the Bears’ 28-13  victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Naymola was honored for the Red Raiders’ 29-28 win over Cary-Grove Oct. 7 in a Fox Valley Conference victory. Huntley pulled out the win with a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the final seconds. HHS ended the season by finishing second in the FVC and 9-2 overall. As part of the Coach of the Week program, Huntley received a $2,000 donation to its football program from the Bears.

The Red Raiders are 17-3 in two seasons under Naymola’s direction. He was an assistant coach at HHS for 10 years prior.

Naymola summed up the experience.

“It was a great experience to say the least,” Naymola said. “Friday at Halas Hall we were able to look around and enjoy the history of the Bears, eat while watching practice, talk with the other award members, and then head down to the practice field to get a closer look. The Bears treated the Coach of the Week winners with class. I was able to bring my dad, Stan Naymola, along and he very much enjoyed the experience. As lifelong Bears fans it was something I will never forget.”

Then came Bears Game Day on Sunday, which concluded with the big win over the rival Lions.

“Sunday we were able to get on the field for pregame and watch most of the pregame routines from the southwest corner of the end zone,” the Red Raiders head coach said. “That was also a cool perspective. At halftime they walked out the Coach and Player of the Week winners with the plaque they gave us and announced our names and took our pictures one by one. It was again, a real cool experience. The eight teams that won the IHSA State Championships were also recognized and that was also a cool element.”

Naymola said he did not know any of the other eight Coach of the Week recipients, “but they all “are great guys who run real great programs,” he said. Several Red Raiders attended the game, and there was a local FVC connection with C-G’s state title honor as well.

“I had a chance to ‘talk shop’ with C-G Class 6A State Champion head coach Brad Seaburg,” Naymola said. “We were able to talk about football the off-season and life. They were all great guys that run great programs. It was also cool to be there with another FVC coach and share part of the day with him.

The Chicago Bears Coach of the Week program was launched in 1996 and “High School All-Star” program in 2011.

According to the team’s web site, the Coach of the Week” program honors outstanding Illinois high school coaches who develop players’ football skills and knowledge, character, leadership, discipline and teamwork abilities. The nomination criteria for the High School All-Star program includes on-field performance, community involvement and good sportsmanship. Deserving high school coaches and players are nominated by a panel of local prep authorities and the winning player is selected each week from Aug. 27-Oct. 23. Since the program’s inception, the Bears have donated more than $326,500 to Illinois high schools in support of their football programs.”