Nominate an Athlete for the All State Game

Illinois football is built on toughness, pride, and programs that demand real growth from young athletes. Coach Patrick Sheehan embodies all three—and that’s why he’s a perfect fit as the confirmed Director of Talent for the 2026 Illinois Football All State Game.

Currently the Head Football Coach at Metea Valley High School, Coach Sheehan has quickly established himself as a culture-builder and developer of young men, not just a play-caller. He stepped into the role in early 2025 with a clear mission: reshape the program’s mindset on and off the field, raise expectations, and build something the community can believe in.

From Player to Program Builder

Coach Sheehan’s football journey has been grounded in the Midwest at every level. He starred at Homewood-Flossmoor High School before continuing his playing career at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville, where he suited up for the Pioneers and learned what it takes to compete in a demanding collegiate environment. 

But it’s what came next that really shaped him.

After graduating, Sheehan transitioned directly into coaching at UW–Platteville, where he served for several years across multiple positions—recruiting coordinator, wide receivers/tight ends coach, defensive line coach, and special teams coordinator. That experience on both sides of the ball gave him a rare full-field perspective: how to develop skill, how to build accountability, and how to get athletes ready for higher standards. 

A Coach Who Starts With Culture

If you ask Coach Sheehan what matters most, you won’t get a stat sheet answer. His reputation is built on culture—how teams practice, how players treat each other, and how they respond when things get hard. That’s been the foundation of his approach at Metea Valley: confidence, discipline, and a relentless commitment to the little things that become big things over time.

He believes the best programs don’t just produce highlights; they produce leaders. Athletes who can take coaching, compete through adversity, and represent their families and communities with pride.

Those values show up in the way he coaches every day:

• Compete the right way.

• Be accountable to your teammates.

• Earn everything.

• Bring energy, even when you’re tired.

It’s not talk. It’s the standard.

Why the All State Game Matters

As Illinois Director of Talent for the All State Game, Coach Sheehan will help identify and elevate the most promising middle school football athletes across the state. For him, this platform is bigger than a one-day event. It’s a proving ground—an early signal of what’s possible for athletes who are willing to work, learn, and step into top-level competition.

The All State Game is where Illinois’ next wave gets challenged:

• by elite coaching,

• by advanced competition,

• and by the expectation to bring more than talent—bring character.

Coach Sheehan understands what a moment like this can do for a young athlete. It can sharpen goals. Raise standards. Flip the switch from “I’m good” to “I want to be great.” And he’s passionate about helping athletes make that jump the right way.

What Illinois Athletes Can Expect

When Coach Sheehan evaluates talent, he’s looking for more than size or speed. He’s looking for:

• coachability

• competitive fire

• effort under pressure

• how a player responds after a bad rep

• how they lift teammates

Because those traits are what separate athletes who peak early from athletes who keep climbing.

His goal for the Illinois All State Game roster is simple: select young men who can represent Illinois with pride—and who will leave this experience better, sharper, and hungrier than when they arrived.

The Bigger Legacy

Coach Patrick Sheehan is part of a new wave of Midwest coaches who blend old-school toughness with modern development. His background at UW–Platteville and his leadership at Metea Valley give him a high-level lens on what young athletes need to grow into great high school players—and even better people.

Illinois football families should be excited. With Coach Sheehan helping lead the talent identification and All State Game experience in 2026, the bar is going up—and the opportunity for young athletes to rise with it is real.