{{Short description|American football coach (born 1964)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Joe Palka | image = | alt = | caption = | current_title = Head coach | current_team = Adrian | current_conference = MIAA | current_record = 14–6 | contract = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|7|9}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = Eastern Michigan University (1987) | player_years1 = 1982 | player_team1 = Grand Valley State | player_years2 = 1983–1986 | player_team2 = Eastern Michigan | player_positions = Linebacker | coach_years1 = 1987 | coach_team1 = Montpelier HS (OH) (assistant) | coach_years2 = 1988–1989 | coach_team2 = Summerfield HS (MI) | coach_years3 = 1990–1993 | coach_team3 = Central Catholic HS (OH) | coach_years4 = 1994 | coach_team4 = Saint Joseph's (IN) (DC) | coach_years5 = 1995 | coach_team5 = Saint Joseph's (IN) | coach_years6 = 1996–1997 | coach_team6 = Bryan HS (OH) | coach_years7 = 2002–2003 | coach_team7 = Adrian (assistant) | coach_years8 = 2004–2005 | coach_team8 = Eastern Michigan (co-ST/DB) | coach_years9 = 2006–2012 | coach_team9 = Whitmer HS (OH) | coach_years10 = 2013–2023 | coach_team10 = Saline HS (MI) | coach_years11 = 2024–present | coach_team11 = Adrian | overall_record = 15–15 (college)<br/>171–38 (high school: Saline & Whitmer) | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = | coaching_records = }}

'''Joseph Palka''' (born July 9, 1964) is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach for Adrian College, a position he has held since 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Palka - Head Coach - Football Coaches |url=https://adrianbulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/joe-palka/828 |access-date=2023-12-03 |publisher=Adrian College }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wickliffe |first=Greg |date=2023-11-17 |title=‘Tough to say goodbye’: Joe Palka bids farewell as Saline’s football coach |url=https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2023/11/joe-palka-bids-farewell-to-saline-after-12-years-as-head-football-coach.html |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=MLive }}</ref> He was the head football coach for Summerfield High School from 1988 to 1989; Central Catholic High School from 1990 to 1993;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Palka of Saline High School named the Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Week |url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/joe-palka-of-saline-high-school-named-the-detroit-lions-high-school-football-coa |access-date=2023-12-03 |publisher=Detroit Lions }}</ref> Saint Joseph's College in Collegeville, Indiana, in 1995; Bryan High School from 1996 to 1997, Whitmer High School from 2006 to 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sunday Chat with former Whitmer coach, new Adrian College coach Joe Palka |url=https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/high-school/2023/12/03/sunday-chat-former-whitmer-coach-new-adrian-college-coach-joe-palka/stories/20231129119 |access-date=2023-12-03 |work=The Blade }}</ref> and Saline High School from 2013 to 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-17 |title=Joe Palka Leaving Saline High School Football for Adrian College |url=https://thesalinepost.com/g/saline-mi/n/225591/joe-palka-leaving-saline-high-school-football-adrian-college |access-date=2023-12-03 |work=The Saline Post}}</ref> He also coached for Montpelier High School and Eastern Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Palka - Football Coach |url=https://emueagles.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/joe-palka/77 |access-date=2023-12-03 |publisher=Eastern Michigan University Athletics }}</ref> He played college football for Grand Valley State and Eastern Michigan as a linebacker.

==Head coaching record== ===College=== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Saint Joseph's Pumas | conf = Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference | startyear = 1995 | endyear = single }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1995 | name = Saint Joseph's | overall = 1–9 | conference = 1–9 | confstanding = 12th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Saint Joseph's | overall = 1–9 | confrecord = 1–9 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Adrian Bulldogs | conf = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association | startyear = 2024 | endyear = }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2024 | name = Adrian | overall = 6–4 | conference = 3–4 | confstanding = 5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2025 | name = Adrian | overall = 8–2 | conference = 5–2 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2026 | name = Adrian | overall = 0–0 | conference = 0–0 | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Adrian | overall = 14–6 | confrecord = 8–6 }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 15–15 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = | legend = no }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://adrianbulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/joe-palka/828 Adrian profile] * [https://emueagles.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/joe-palka/77 Eastern Michigan profile]

{{Saint Joseph's Pumas football coach navbox}} {{Adrian Bulldogs football coach navbox}} {{Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football coach navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palka, Joe}} Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:American football linebackers Category:Adrian Bulldogs football coaches Category:Eastern Michigan Eagles football coaches Category:Eastern Michigan Eagles football players Category:Grand Valley State Lakers football players Category:Saint Joseph's Pumas football coaches Category:High school football coaches in Michigan Category:High school football coaches in Ohio

{{1990s-collegefootball-coach-stub}}