KSHSAA Press Release - December 15, 2021
TOPEKA, Kan. - The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced that eleven high school coaches from Kansas have been named National Coaches Association Sectional Coaches of the Year for the 2020-21 school seasons.
The NFHS is divided into eight geographical sections. They are as follows: Section 1 – Northeast (CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT);
Section 2 – Mideast (DE, DC, KY, MD, OH, PA, VA, WV); Section 3 – South (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN); Section 4 – Central (IL, IN, IA, MI, WI); Section 5 – Midwest (KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD); Section 6 – Southwest (AR, CO, NM, OK, TX); Section 7 – West (AZ, CA, HI, NV, UT); and Section 8 – Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY).
The sectional committee representatives evaluate the state award recipients from the states in their respective sections and select the best candidates for the sectional award in each sport category. The NFHS Coaches Association Advisory Committee then considers the sectional candidates in each sport, ranks them according to a point system, and determines a national winner for each of the 20 sport categories, the spirit category, and two “other” categories.
The sectional winners will now be put in consideration for National Coach of the Year, to be announced sometime in January.
NFHS Sectional Coaches of the Year (2020-21):
Jesse Nelson (Girls Basketball) Olpe HS
Lewis Wiebe (Boys Cross Country) Berean Academy HS
Michael Spielman (Girls Cross Country) Baldwin HS
Joel Applebee (Boys Football) Mill Valley HS
James Ginter (Boys Golf) Wellington HS
Kevin Ayers (Boys Football (8-Player)) Little River HS
Kit Harris (Girls Wrestling) Baldwin HS
Saul Hernandez (Boys Soccer) Dodge City HS
Pam Burkett (Girls Spirit) Campus HS
Andrew Gibbs (Girls Tennis) Shawnee Mission East HS
Christopher McAfee (Boys Track & Field) Mill Valley HS
State Coaches of the Year (2020-21):
Kyrstie Miller (Girls Golf) Wamego HS
Kat Farrow (Girls Gymnastics) Lawrence HS
Nick Linn (Volleyball) Smith Center HS
Shane DeWeese (Boys Swimming and Diving) Buhler HS
Damon Parker (Boys Wrestling) Washburn Rural HS
Ronald L. Horsch (Bowling) Bishop Carroll HS
Greg Raleigh (Boys Basketball) Hesston HS
Shane Ferguson (Boys Tennis) Independence HS
Jordan Rowlen (Girls Swimming and Diving) Blue Valley West HS
Adam Lamb (Girls Soccer) St. Thomas Aquinas HS
Corey Schrack (Baseball) Gardner Edgerton HS
Shane Miles (Softball) Topeka HS
Travis Powell (Girls Track and Field) Kiowa County HS
Skyler Hittle (Boys Middle School Sports) Concordia JH
Beth Jackett (Girls Middle School Sports) Royster MS
The NFHS, which has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982, honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports (by participation numbers), and in one “other” sport that is not included in the top 10 listings. Winners of NFHS awards must be active coaches during the year for which they receive their award.
The KSHSAA works with the Kansas Coaches Association (KCA) to nominate Kansas coaches. The KCA contacts their potential state award recipients to complete a “coach profile” form that requests information regarding the coach’s record, membership in and affiliation with coaching and other professional organizations, involvement with other school and community activities and programs, and coaching philosophy. To be approved as an NFCA award recipient and considered for sectional and national coach of the year, this profile form must be completed by the coach or designee and then approved by the executive director (or designee) of the state athletic/activities association.
Congratulations, Coach Wiebe, on a job well done!