Wisconsin Football Coaches Association

Phelps attended U.W. River Falls where he continued to play 4 years of football and baseball while working 20 hours a week, started a fraternity and earned his B.S. in Secondary Education-Biology/Coaching in 1972.

 

Upon graduation John went to Pardeeville High School, Pardeeville, Wisconsin as an assistant football on several conference championship teams; assistant basketball coach and assistant baseball coach on several conference championship teams. He was fortunate to have coached a future Chicago Bears Super Bowl team member, Mark Bortz. After three and a half years he became the head football coach at Clear Lake High School, Clear Lake, Wisconsin, and assistant basketball coach. While at Clear Lake he led them to their first ever, state playoff berth, an undefeated regular season and Conference Championship.

 

In 1981 he moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin where he was the head football coach at Eau Claire North High School for 26 years. During his 26 years at North he accomplished over 100 wins, 7 playoff berths, advancing as far as quarter finals, the only playoff berths North has made an appearance in to date.  Many of his players went on to play at all college levels, and his assistant coaches moved on to become head and assistant coaches in high school, college including a head NCAA DI coach.

 

Phelps also was head boys and girls track coach from 1988-2007 winning their first Conference Championship, the strength and conditioning coach and reserve baseball coach. He was a color commentator for college and high school football, a Big 10 official in track and field, a national instructor for USA track and field, served 14 years on the National Ski Patrol, served his community for 11 years working for United Cerebral Palsy, and 3 years as a chairman for their VIP program.