Bill Wilharms reflects on decision to step down as Lenawee Christian football coach
ADRIAN — Bill Wilharms, who built the Lenawee Christian football team into a title-winning powerhouse in 8-player football, has resigned as the Cougars coach.
In 11 seasons at LCS, Wilharms’ teams finished with a 91-27 record and had three undefeated state championships.
He cited his own health as one of the reasons for stepping down, as well as getting the opportunity to expand his strength and conditioning roles at both LCS and Madison, where he teaches.
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“I’m looking forward to that. That’s my true love, my passion," he said of the strength programs. “This will hopefully diminish the stress in my life and allow me to take care of my own body a little better.”
Wilharms started at LCS in 2012 as an assistant coach and became head coach in 2013, going 7-3 with a playoff berth. LCS went 10-2 in 2019, then transitioned to 8-Player football in 2020, going 11-0 for its first 8-Player title.
They repeated in 2021 and won a third title in 2023, going 13-0.
Prior to that, Wilharms coached five seasons at Madison, winning 12 games. He has an overall record of 103-61 as a head coach.
In the fall, LCS went 13-0 and won the 8-Player, Division 2 state title. Coming off an 8-3 season, the Cougars went into the season with little pressure, Wilharms said. After being state-ranked Menson 73-20 in Week 6, Wilharms said, that changed.
“We went from the hunters to back to being the hunted,” Wilharms said.
LCS piled up 160 points in four playoff wins to score 679 points, or 52.2 per game, over the season.
Wilharms said while walking off the field after beating Marion 36-18 in the state finals, he was pretty confident he had coached his final game, but he kept it under wraps.
“It was 70-30. I didn’t want to make the decision right after the season, though, because of all of the emotions," he said. "When we went home to Wisconsin for Christmas, I did some soul searching, took a few long walks in the woods and I thought, ‘I’m going to be OK with this.’”
Wilharms is a native of northern Wisconsin; his wife, Carmen, is an Adrian native. The two met at Valparaiso University in Indiana. He has taught at Madison since 1995.
He recovered from a heart attack four years ago and said he didn’t want a repeat of that.
“That was a scary enough situation,” he said. “Carmen and I talked it over; we said a lot of prayers on it. I’m emotional about it. Staying on a strength and conditioning coach this will be a good fit, I can help the new coach in the transition, and I still get to work with the players.”
“The cupboard is not bare, by any means. I’ll still get to train those kids and work with them. I love them.”
One of the things he will miss the most, he said, is the coaching staff that he built around him.
“That coaching staff means everything to me,” he said. “We’ve been through it all together.”
Lenawee Christian athletic director Craig Anderson said Wilharms was tremendous at bringing in great leaders and setting clear expectations from his teams.
“Beyond the championships and winning games, he has demonstrated an ability to develop young men. Men of character, hard work, sacrifice and men who know God.
“We are so thankful he will continue in the strength and conditioning role. As we all know he is an amazing man, leader, and coach. His departure leaves a big hole and also an opportunity for the right person to join an amazing group of student athletes and a program built on excellence.”
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Bill Wilharms expands on decision to step down from Lenawee Christian
