Packers, WIAA Name October Football Crew of the Month
Five Wisconsin high school football officials were recognized for objectivity, fairness in rules implementation, and commitment as officials.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football
The Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association announced five officials as the October high school football Crew of the Month. The recognition is part of a joint initiative between the NFHS and the NFL.
Why it matters
The program highlights officials chosen for objectivity and fair rules enforcement, and selected crews advance toward Wisconsin Crew of the Year consideration at season's end. Recognition of consistent officiating supports the integrity of high school football across the state.
WIAA personnel review nominations for five positions on each crew: referee, umpire, head linesperson, line judge and back judge. Renzelmann has served as head referee of his crew since 2011, while the number of nominations considered for October was not disclosed.
The players
Green Bay Packers
The NFL franchise based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, participates in the joint officiating recognition program with the NFHS.
Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association
The statewide governing body for high school athletics in Wisconsin oversees the selection and review of officials for the Crew of the Month program.
Chris Renzelmann
A Merrill-based high school football referee who has served as head referee of his crew since 2011.
The details
Chris Renzelmann serves as referee, Nick Neds as umpire, Tommie Williams as back judge, Tim Shaw as head linesman and Terry Steinmetz as line judge on the October crew. Renzelmann, who lives in Merrill, has led his crew as head referee since 2011, and Neds lives in Deerfield.
Timeline
September, October and November: Crew of the Month recognitions are awarded each month.
2011: Renzelmann begins serving as head referee of his crew.
Conclusion of the season: Wisconsin Crew of the Year honorees are selected from the monthly recognitions.
Season Trajectory
The monthly Crew of the Month honors feed into the selection of Wisconsin Crew of the Year honorees at season's end, and those honorees advance to a national Crew of the Year determination by the NFHS and NFL. The October crew is one step in that multi-stage process across participating NFL clubs.
Fans following Wisconsin high school football can track which officials are being recognized each month, as the Crew of the Month selections signal crews with strong records on objectivity and rules enforcement. Those names may come up again as the season's Crew of the Year honorees are announced.
The takeaway
Recognition programs like this one reward consistent, impartial officiating that most fans rarely notice. Paying attention to how crews are selected offers a clearer view of what good officiating looks like at the high school level.
What happens next
At the conclusion of the season, five outstanding officials previously named to a Crew of the Month will be selected as members of a Wisconsin Crew of the Year, and those honorees will be sent to the NFHS and NFL to determine a national Crew of the Year.
Further reading
Explore more Wisconsin high school football coverage to see how officiating and game play shape the season.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Packers.
