Medfield High School’s Erik Ormberg Named New England Patriots Coach of the Week

Medfield High School Football Coach Erik Ormberg has been named the New England Patriots Coach of the Week. The team’s seniors and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett gathered to celebrate Coach Ormberg earlier this week. (Photo Courtesy New England Patriots)

MEDFIELD — Medfield High’s longtime football coach shook hands with one of his childhood heroes. But the coach, not the Hall of Famer, was the day’s real guest of honor.

Superintendent Jeffrey Marsden is proud to announce that Medfield High School Football Coach Erik Ormberg has been named the New England Patriots Coach of the Week.

NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, met with the Warriors on Monday at Medfield High School.

“I am honored and humbled by this recognition,” said Ormberg, who also works as a School Counselor at Medfield High School. “To shake hands with NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett, someone I watched on TV as a kid, was amazing. To be recognized by the Patriots organization and the Kraft family was tremendous.”

The Medfield Warriors are off to a ferocious start this season, racking up three wins (and no losses) so far. Last week, the Medfield Warriors beat the Hopkinton Hillers 35-12.

Coach Ormberg has been coaching at Medfield since 2001.

“Medfield is a special place,” Ormberg said. “Having been a part of the football program for over 25 years, I am blessed to have the support of the community, the administration and the parents. Their support allows me to do what I love, which is to work and coach in the same district.”

Tippett presented a $1,000 donation to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, acknowledging Coach Ormberg’s commitment to developing the next generation’s scholar-athletes.

“High school football is built on the dedication and leadership of coaches like Erik Ormberg,” Tippett told Ormberg and his team. “Through his commitment to his players and community, he has helped Medfield start the season with energy, confidence and resilience. We’re proud to recognize him as our third High School Coach of the Week this season.”

Tippett’s Medfield visit will be featured on the Patriots’ weekly television show, “Patriots All Access,” airing Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston (the program will also be streaming immediately on Patriots.com).

“We have a team of selfless football players, and this recognition is more about their sacrifice and commitment to football than anything else,” Ormberg said. “And it takes a team of great coaches to coach a great team. The football staff at Medfield is made up of alumni and current staff members. They care about kids, tradition, competition, the great game of high school football and their community. They are all great role models for our players.”

The team’s seniors also joined in on the celebration.

“I asked the senior football players to join in this recognition, because they are the leaders of the program,” Ormberg said. “This is a reminder to us all that high school football is not better or worse than other sports, it’s just different. I love coaching these players. At our pregame meeting we talked about how love is ‘the steadfast commitment to the well-being of others.’ The team is off to a great start and fully aware that adversity will visit us at points this season. We hope that our players are prepared to handle that adversity just as we hope they continue to embrace success. Again, I’d like to thank the Kraft family, the New England Patriots and Andre Tippett for this honor.”

About the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year Initiative

The Patriots have been participating in the NFL’s High School Coach of the Week program for 30 years, recognizing outstanding high school coaches and promoting youth football throughout New England.

At the conclusion of the fall, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive an additional $2,000 contribution toward the school’s football program. For the 15th straight year, the Patriots will also be accepting nominations for High School Coach of the Week honors.

Those who wish to nominate a high school football coach in New England who leads a team to an exceptional weekly performance or reaches a personal career milestone are encouraged to send submissions to nominatecoach@patriots.com. All nominations must be submitted following a team’s Friday night or Saturday afternoon game to be considered for that week’s Coach of the Week award.

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Medfield High School Football Coach Erik Ormberg, at right, shakes hands with NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, at left. Ormberg has been a big fan of Tippett since he watched him play football for the New England Patriots as a kid. (Photo Courtesy New England Patriots)

Medfield High School Football Coach Erik Ormberg, center, the latest New England Patriots Coach of the Week, asked the team’s seniors to join him when he was recognized by NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, the current Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots. (Photo Courtesy New England Patriots)