Wisconsin Football Coaches Association

Dave Puls was born in Kansas City, Missouri on November 4, 1968, to Sharon (Harrington) and James Puls of Iowa. He married his wife Michelle (Schneider) in 2001 and they have two children. Ella, age 21 and Brady, age 18. He has three younger brothers, Scott, Bryan, and Shaun. Dave graduated from Hilbert High School in Hilbert, WI in 1987. He played football at Hilbert for WFCA Hall of Fame Coach, Mike Moreau. Dave attended college at St. Norbert where he played football for head coach, Don LaViolet and RB Coach, Gene Bray. He graduated from St. Norbert College in 1992 and then pursued a career in bridge construction for the next eight years. 

Dave started dating his future wife Michelle Schneider in 1997. Michelle, also from Hilbert, WI, started her first teaching job in Lodi, WI. Dave and Michelle moved from Hilbert and began their life in “little old” Lodi. While living in Lodi for the next two years, Puls went on to Edgewood College for a special education teaching certification. During the summer of 2001, Puls earned his teaching certification and married Michelle. He was hired in Lodi as a MS/HS special education teacher. The Lodi head football coach at this time was Coach, Scott Statz. He convinced Dave he needed to get involved coaching football because he played for Moreau at Hilbert. In 2000, Puls began as a volunteer assistant football coach for the Lodi Freshman football team. Puls coached Freshman and JV football for Lodi over the next four years and gained valuable knowledge from the Lodi coaching staff and many other coaches in the state. 

Becoming a head football coach was never a goal of Dave’s when he began coaching football in 2001. He loved being that assistant coach who did all the little things behind the scenes like running the weight room, talking with players about their grades, preaching leadership, organizing equipment, fixing equipment, and troubleshooting various issues. Sometimes things just happen and in 2004, Lodi AD, Jeff Lund took a chance on Puls and hired him as the head football coach. Fortunately for Puls, Coaches, Rick Mack, Karl Sachtjen, Patrick Walsh, and Joe Jelinek stayed with the staff and were the foundation for continuing the winning tradition that Statz had begun. Over Puls’ 20 years as head coach, Lodi won nine conference championships, qualified for the playoffs 18 times, reached Level-4 six times, had three undefeated seasons, was runner-up D4 Champs in 2015, and were the D4 State Champs in 2017 and 2023.  

Dave would like to thank all of the players, staff, administration, parents, Lodi community members, and friends who helped to build the Lodi Football Program's success. He would also like to thank Coaches Rick Mack, Karl Sachtjen, Patrick Walsh, Drew Ryan, Andy Murray, Kelby Mack, Gordy Beyer, Kyle Mack, Jason Murray, Richie Hamann, Derek Pertzborn, Grant Lembcke, Skyler Kurt, Dustin Robinson, and Jeff Meek. They are not only great coaches, they are great friends. Dave’s final thank you goes to his family. His children Ella and Brady have been his support and inspiration since the time they were born. Coaching his daughter Ella in track & field and his son Brady in football will forever be his most cherished memories in his coaching career. The final and most important thank you of all goes to his wife Michelle who was always there, kept him grounded, and supported him unconditionally. She was the foundation for Dave’s commitment to Lodi football and is the strongest person in his life.