Gregory Winkler

Classroom Teacher, Florida SouthWestern Collegiate High School

Email:	Gregory.Winkler@fsw.edu
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Office Hours:	Monday-Friday 7am-7:25am, Monday-Friday 11:35am - noon
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Biography

Greg Winkler   With more than 30 years of experience as an educator, coach and administrator, Greg Winkler is currently in his first season as head coach of the boys soccer team at Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda, Fla., the same city in which he serves as a physical education teacher at the Charlotte Campus of Florida SouthWestern State College.   A decorated soccer coach in the state of Wisconsin, Winkler was named to the Wisconsin Soccer Association Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015 and the Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017, recognizing a coaching career that included more than 400 wins at both the youth and high school levels. In 2018, he was named to the Fond du Lac High School Athletic Hall of Fame, where he enjoyed a 17-year coaching career (1998-2014) that saw him amass the most wins in program history (264).   Among Winkler’s many achievements are the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Coach of the Year Award in 2012 in addition to a trio of NSCAA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year Awards (2001, 2004, 2012) and three Fox Valley Association (FVA) Coach of the Year honors. He was also recognized as the Wisconsin Large School Coach of the Year in 2004, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coach of the Year in 2005 and the State Youth Coach of the Year in 2006.   Winkler began his career in Fond du Lac as the boys head coach in 1998 before adding to his duties as girls head coach in 2006, leading his teams to WIAA Sectional Championships in 2004 and 2005 as well as to five FVA conference championships. He served the dual coaching role with the Cardinals until moving to Florida in 2014, where he spent one season as the girls head coach at George Jenkins High School in Lakeland before a two-year stint as the boys head coach at Ida Baker High School in Cape Coral.   Throughout his career, Winkler has placed an emphasis on academic achievement and leadership off-the-field, coaching a total of 12 NSCAA All-Region Scholar Athletes at the high school level while garnering 19 NSCAA Academic Team Awards and an NSCAA Ethics Award in 2014.   While in Fond du Lac, Winkler was instrumental in the growth and development of the area’s youth soccer program, where he spent the majority of his 20-year tenure (1994-2014) with the Fond du Lac Soccer Association as the club’s president, serving in that capacity from 1996-2006 and again from 2012-14. Over that span, the city’s program experienced an unprecedented increase in participants, growing from 350 players to more than 2,000.   His passion for enhancing the game of soccer in the state extended to all facets of the sport, leading to his involvement as a referee trainer for the Wisconsin Youth Referee Association and a four-year term as President of the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association (2002-06), where he was also a Director from 2002-14. Winkler worked with the NSCAA as the State Technical Director for Wisconsin from 2010-13 and has continued his work with the national organization as the high school boys chair on the advocacy council, a position he’s held since 2013.   In 2017, he published a revised edition of his 2009 book, “Coaching a Season of Significance,” which has been hailed as “a valuable resource for coaches of any sport” and draws upon Winkler’s vast experiences to aid coaches in overcoming obstacles on their way to a significant season. Winkler has presented at coaching and athletic director conferences on a variety of topics, ranging from building relationships through athletics to engaging in effective communication with parents and administrators.   A native of Rosendale, Wis., Winkler earned a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1982 and a Master’s degree in Sports Management from American Public University in 2013. He is a Certified Athletic Administrator and holds a United States Soccer Federation D License as well as NSCAA Premier, Advanced National and National Diplomas. Greg and his wife, Vikki, who were recognized as Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association Parents of the Year in 2002, have four sons: Bart, Brett, Brock and Brent.

Website

www.gregwinkler.net

Education (Degrees and Certifications)

Masters Sports Management, 2010
CAA, 2012

Research (Publications, Presentations, and Other Projects)

Author: Coaching A Season of Significance

Awards and Recognition

Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame