LITTLE CHUTE (NBC 26) — First-year Little Chute Mustangs head coach Mark Krommenacker is starting his tenure with more than just X's and O's — he's building a culture of leadership that extends far beyond the gridiron.
Krommenacker, who also serves as a teacher, has implemented a philosophy centered around what he calls "WIN" — an acronym for "What's Important Now?"
"Culture drives the behaviors, and the behaviors kind of produce the results that we want," Krommenacker said.
The coach's approach emphasizes servant leadership, requiring team captains to complete community service projects as part of their leadership development.
"Something that I want to do this year too with our captains with our senior captains is giving them the opportunity to do a kind of servant leadership project. That's kind of how we- if you want to be a captain, you have to go out and serve," Krommenacker said.
Three senior players exemplify this leadership philosophy both on and off the field.
Lineman Noah Faccio has established a strong community presence, becoming a recognizable figure around Little Chute.
"Every kid says hi, they usually know who I am. Just, pretty famous around here I guess, I don't know," Faccio said with a laugh.
Defensive back Will Jansen volunteers his time through community service efforts.
"There's a 'Love Thy Neighbor' thing where you hand out burgers and brats to people leaving church," Jansen said.
Wide receiver Cooper Effa emphasizes academics alongside athletics.
"I kind of hold a high standard for myself and getting good grades. School first, sports second," Effa said.
All three players are three-sport athletes who stay busy year-round, but they view that commitment as beneficial to their development.
"You have to do a sport, and that takes a good chunk of your night. And then after that, you probably have to do some homework that wasn't done during the school day. It's just being held to a higher standard," Effa said.
The Mustangs' next game is a road matchup against New London as they begin their season under Krommenacker's leadership.
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