Crosby to lead north squad in 2025 Shrine Bowl

Lovell High School head football coach Nicc Crosby was recently honored by his peers and named the head coach of the north squad in the 2025 Wyoming Shrine Bowl all-star football game.

The head coach of each team, north and south, is nominated and voted on by fellow head coaches from each half of the state. Once chosen, the coach cannot be on the staff for the following three years, Crosby said.

The 2025 selection marks Crosby’s fourth year working with a Shrine Bowl staff and his third year coaching. He was selected for the north squad as an assistant in 2020 when there was no game played due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he served as an assistant for the south working with Star Valley head coach McKay Young several years ago and as an assistant with Rob Hammond of Buffalo last year.

As the head coach, Crosby has chosen for his staff Rocky Mountain head coach Jessee Wilson to represent Class 1A nine-man, Trent Aagard of Burlington to represent Class 1A six man, his own defensive coordinator A. Jay Montanez to represent Class 2A, Waleryan Wisniewski of Powell for 3A and Tom Grogan of Casper Natrona for 4A.

“It’s quite an honor,” Crosby said. “Having been down there as a player and a couple times as a coach, you get the feel for the special atmosphere that it is and the great cause it’s for (fundraising for the Shrine Hospital for Crippled Children).

“It’s so much fun. You get to coach a game you love and learn a lot from other coaches and meet some of the kids who benefit from this event (at the hospital in Salt Lake). It helps you learn not to take things for granted.”

The hospital visit is especially meaningful, Crosby said.

“I’m always so impressed by how well spoken the Shrine kids are and how grateful they are,” he said. “These are just amazing kids. A lot of times we see the difficulties and struggles they face and how unafraid they are. With the opportunity to see humanity reach out and help each other, that’s a pretty cool thing to witness.”

Crosby said he and his staff are in the process of finalizing the north roster, working with fellow coaches to learn about players they have nominated.

“We go through the nominations, reach out to the coaches and watch film,” he said. “We work with the coaches on our staff from each classification for input. It’s a tough process, because there are a lot of deserving kids.”