Impact
Records
Mike Powell
Oak Park-River Forest High School
Impact Statement
Powell led Oak Park-River Forest to multiple state championships and national prominence.
Biography
Mike Powell’s program numbers speak for themselves – two Illinois dual team state championships, four state team championships at the individual state tournament, 10 individual state champions and 31 individual all-state wrestlers.
Powell, who won a 1994 state title as a student-athlete at Oak Park River Forest in 1994, also amassed an overall coaching record of 213-44.
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Lewis-Pamer High School
“Sports are a medium to teach character and character development, and we shouldn’t put our emphasis on winning at all costs.” -Susan Odenbaugh
“Sports are a medium to teach character and character development, and we shouldn’t put our emphasis on winning at all costs.” -Susan Odenbaugh
Susan Odenbaugh
Lewis-Pamer High School
Impact Statement
“Sports are a medium to teach character and character development, and we shouldn’t put our emphasis on winning at all costs.” -Susan Odenbaugh
Biography
Susan Odenbaugh led Lewis-Palmer to its second straight Colorado 4A state title during the 2014-15 season, plus her team was named national champions by MaxPreps.
Odenbaugh, who has been the school’s head coach since 2002, guided her team to a 29-0 record in a season that saw the team only drop five sets. Lewis-Palmer has now won 35 straight matches and 46 of its last 47 matches.
Coach Odenbaugh is the first coach from Colorado to be named NHSCA National Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Odenbaugh coached Lewis-Palmer for another two years before she stepped down in 2017. She is still teaching and working with the InSideOut Initiative and the CHSAA’s Positive Coaching Alliance. As she previously said “Sports are a medium to teach character and character development, and we shouldn’t put our emphasis on winning at all costs. Winning should be a byproduct of the commitment to that development.”
She was also honored with the 2017 Dave Sanders Colorado Coach Award. According to the Denver Post, the award is given in conjunction with the Sanders family to recognize a high school coach who not only has a longevity and success in teaching and coaching but has outstanding character. This award is named after Sanders who saved many students before dying at Columbine High School during the 1999 shooting.
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La Cueva High School
“My philosophy as a coach is you take the kids at the level they come to you and you try to raise them to the next level.” -Jim Ciccarello
“My philosophy as a coach is you take the kids at the level they come to you and you try to raise them to the next level.” -Jim Ciccarello
Jim Ciccarello
La Cueva High School
Impact Statement
“My philosophy as a coach is you take the kids at the level they come to you and you try to raise them to the next level.” -Jim Ciccarello
Biography
For 45 years, Jim Ciccarello has been coaching the track & field teams in New Mexico.
During his thirty-nine years as a high school coach, he has coached more than 200 individual New Mexico State Champions. His teams have combined for eight New Mexico Team Titles. Ciccarello has eight second place finishes, four third place finishes, and his teams have won twenty-four district championships.
Coach Ciccarello has been named Coach of the Year ten times in New Mexico. Ciccarello is the first coach from New Mexico to be named NHSCA National Girls’ Track & Field Coach of the Year.
In 2014, Ciccarello was inducted into the New Mexico High School Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. He was a member of the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.
After 51 years, Ciccarello will be entered into his 51st year at the helm of La Cueva’s Girls’ Track & Field team.
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Personal Honors
Spring Valley High School
“Someone told me one time you can’t coach as a job. You coach as a hobby. Track and cross country have been pastimes I want to do.” -John Jones
“Someone told me one time you can’t coach as a job. You coach as a hobby. Track and cross country have been pastimes I want to do.” -John Jones
John Jones
Spring Valley High School
Impact Statement
“Someone told me one time you can’t coach as a job. You coach as a hobby. Track and cross country have been pastimes I want to do.” -John Jones
Biography
John Jones has spent his entire career at Spring Valley High School, leading the school to five South Carolina state championships with 11 state runner-up finishes.
In 2007, Jones was inducted into the South Carolina Track Coaches Hall of Fame. In 2009, he was honored by being inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.
Jones is the first coach from South Carolina to be honored as the NHSCA Boys’ Track & Field Coach of the Year.
Jones retired at the conclusion of the 2018 season after 39 years. He leaves behind a legacy with five Track & Field and one Cross Country State Championships.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Xavier College Prep
Coach Laurie Martin led Xavier Prep to its fourth straight Division 1 state title in 2015.
Coach Laurie Martin led Xavier Prep to its fourth straight Division 1 state title in 2015.
Laurie Martin
Xavier College Prep
Impact Statement
Coach Laurie Martin led Xavier Prep to its fourth straight Division 1 state title in 2015.
Biography
Laurie Martin led Xavier Prep to its fourth straight Division 1 state title in 2015. Martin has been cited for her “no-cut” policy, which has led to the program having nearly 100 student-athletes. Tennis Industry Magazine has also named her Coach of the Year and so did the United States Tennis Association for her “no-cut” philosophy.
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Highland Park High School
Coach Holden has been coaching at Highland Park High School for the past 14 year and has accomplished greatness.
Coach Holden has been coaching at Highland Park High School for the past 14 year and has accomplished greatness.
Dan Holden
Highland Park High School
Impact Statement
Coach Holden has been coaching at Highland Park High School for the past 14 year and has accomplished greatness.
Biography
Dan Holden, who has been at the helm of Highland Park High School tennis program for 14 years, has built a juggernaut in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. This past season, Highland Park won its seventh straight Texas title, extending its dual match win streak to 151 straight. The state title was the 16th overall for the school, which is a state record. Holden is the second Texas coach to win the NHSCA Boys’ Tennis Coach of the Year Award. Jerry Lacey of St. Mark’s School was honored in 2002.
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Carmel High School
The Carmel girls won their 29th straight Indiana state championship this past season, which led them to their sixth national championship in the last seven years. Coach Plumb has been at the helm since 2006.
The Carmel girls won their 29th straight Indiana state championship this past season, which led them to their sixth national championship in the last seven years. Coach Plumb has been at the helm since 2006.
Chris Plumb
Carmel High School
Impact Statement
The Carmel girls won their 29th straight Indiana state championship this past season, which led them to their sixth national championship in the last seven years. Coach Plumb has been at the helm since 2006.
Biography
Chris Plumb has led the Carmel High School boys’ and girls’ swim teams since 2006. During that time, Plumb has added-on to one of high school swimming’s all-time dynasties. The Carmel girls won their 29th straight Indiana state championship this past season, which led them to their sixth national championship in the last seven years. The 29 straight state titles ties Carmel with Punahou High School boys’ swim team in Hawaii for the national record of consecutive titles.. Punahou achieved its 29 straight from 1958 to 1986. In this year’s state meet, Carmel won nine of 11 swimming events, broke national records in all three relays and finished first with 445 points – most ever in 41 years of Indiana’s state meet. Carmel’s 266-point margin over second-place Fishers was also arecord. Plumb is the third Indiana coach and second Carmel High coach to win the NHSCA National Girls’ Swimming Coach of the Year Award. Ken Stopkotte won the award in 2001. In 2005, Andy Pedersen of Hamilton Southeast won the award.
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Professional Achievements
Bellarmine Prep
This year Coach Rogers had the distinction of being the winningest swim coach in California Interscholastic Federation history with his team winning its 31st straight CIF Central Coast Section team championship.
This year Coach Rogers had the distinction of being the winningest swim coach in California Interscholastic Federation history with his team winning its 31st straight CIF Central Coast Section team championship.
Larry Rogers
Bellarmine Prep
Impact Statement
This year Coach Rogers had the distinction of being the winningest swim coach in California Interscholastic Federation history with his team winning its 31st straight CIF Central Coast Section team championship.
Biography
Larry Rogers of Bellarmine College Prep is the winningest swim coach in California Interscholastic Federation history. This past season, the Bellarmine boys’ swim team won its 31st straight CIF-Central Coast Section team championship. Rogers took over the Bellarmine program in the late 70’s. Rogers’ 1989 team was declared national champs. Rogers is the first coach from California to win the NHSCA Boys’ Swimming Coach of the Year.
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Professional Achievements
Sherwood High School
Coach Barber-Strunk led her softball team to its fourth straight Maryland 4A state title in 2015.
Coach Barber-Strunk led her softball team to its fourth straight Maryland 4A state title in 2015.
Ashley Barber-Strunk
Sherwood High School
Impact Statement
Coach Barber-Strunk led her softball team to its fourth straight Maryland 4A state title in 2015.
Biography
In two years as the school head softball coach, Ashley Barber-Strunk has continued the winning ways at Sherwood. This past season Barber-Strunk led the school to its fourth straight Maryland 4A state title. The school will also take an 83-game win streak into the 2015-16 season. Barber-Strunk is a perfect 41-0 has a head coach. At the time of her winning the NHSCA 2015 COY award, Sherwood is ranked #5 in the nation by MaxPreps. Barber-Strunk is the second Maryland coach to be named the NHSCA National Softball Coach of the Year. Robert Earl Radford of Northern High School won the award in 2013.
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Professional Achievements
Immaculate Heart Academy
Coach Silva guided Immaculate Heart Academy to a national title in 2014 with a 22-0 record that year.
Coach Silva guided Immaculate Heart Academy to a national title in 2014 with a 22-0 record that year.
Brandon Silva
Immaculate Heart Academy
Impact Statement
Coach Silva guided Immaculate Heart Academy to a national title in 2014 with a 22-0 record that year.
Biography
Brandon Silva guided Immaculate Heart Academy to a national championship in 2014, finishing #1 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s national rankings. During the season, IHA finished 22-0 and snapped defending national champion Northern Highlands’ 88 match unbeaten streak. Silva won the national title just two years into being the program’s head coach. Previously, Silva was the head coach at Demarest High School for seven seasons. Silva is the second straight New Jersey coach to win the NHSCA National Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year Award. Last year, Paul Heenehan, America’s all-time leader in girls’ soccer victories was the winner. He is the third winner from the Garden State with Steve Racine of Kinnelon HS being named Girls’ Soccer COY in 2008.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Christian Brothers College High School
Terry Michler has a lifetime career record oaching soccer of 896-209-99 and led Christian Brothers College High School to seven state championships.
Terry Michler has a lifetime career record oaching soccer of 896-209-99 and led Christian Brothers College High School to seven state championships.
Terry Michler
Christian Brothers College High School
Impact Statement
Terry Michler has a lifetime career record oaching soccer of 896-209-99 and led Christian Brothers College High School to seven state championships.
Biography
Terry Michler is America’s winningest high school soccer coach in America with a lifetime mark of 896-209-99. Michler has led CBC to seven of its state record eight state championships. This past season, he was honored by the Missouri State High School Activities Association with its Distinguish Service Award. He a member of the Missouri State High School Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame. Michler is the second straight Missourian to win the NHSCA National Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year Award. Last year, Greg Vitello of De Smet High School was given the prestigious honor. The first Missouri coach to win the award was Charlie Martel of St. Louis University High School in 2004.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Sacred Heart Academy
Coach Bender led Sacred Heart Academy to four straight Kentucky girls’ golf state championships in 2014.
Coach Bender led Sacred Heart Academy to four straight Kentucky girls’ golf state championships in 2014.
Leslie Bender
Sacred Heart Academy
Impact Statement
Coach Bender led Sacred Heart Academy to four straight Kentucky girls’ golf state championships in 2014.
Biography
Leslie Bender led Sacred Heart Academy to its fourth straight Kentucky girls’ golf state championship in 2014. The road to the four-peat needed a little extra golf as Sacred Heart beat Henry Clay High School 21-23 in a playoff. The fourth straight state title matches the school’s run of four titles from 1984-to-87, which ties Glagow High for the record of four-straight state titles. Since taking-over the Sacred Heart Academy program in 2006, Bender has graduated 15 players that have moved-on to play golf at the college level. Bender is the first coach from Kentucky to win the NHSCA National Girls Golf Coach of the Year Award.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Marion High School
Coach Messerli has coached multiple sports at Marion High School, namely golf, football, wrestling and basketball.
Coach Messerli has coached multiple sports at Marion High School, namely golf, football, wrestling and basketball.
Dave Messerli
Marion High School
Impact Statement
Coach Messerli has coached multiple sports at Marion High School, namely golf, football, wrestling and basketball.
Biography
Dave Messerli has served as Marion’s head golf coach for 41 years. During that time, Coach Messerli has led his school to a state championship, several top ten team finishes, eleven conference titles and numerous individual top ten finishes. Dave’s coaching talent goes beyond golf — he served as head football coach at Marion High School for 18 years and was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Association hall of Fame in 1998. Coach Messerli has also served as assistant varsity wrestling coach, plus an assistant coach for boys’ and girls’ basketball. Coach Messerli is the second coach from Iowa to win the NHSCA’s National Boys’ Golf Coach of the Year Award. Richard Gaard from Decorah won the award in 2008.
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Personal Honors
Miami Central High School
Roland Smith took over Miami Central’s football program in 2013 and led the team to back-to-back 6A state championships.
Roland Smith took over Miami Central’s football program in 2013 and led the team to back-to-back 6A state championships.
Roland Smith
Miami Central High School
Impact Statement
Roland Smith took over Miami Central’s football program in 2013 and led the team to back-to-back 6A state championships.
Biography
Miami Central head coach Roland Smith’s time at the helm of Miami Central has been a successful one. Smith, who took over as head coach in 2013, has led the Rockets to back-to-back Florida Class 6A state football titles. Last year’s title was the school’s third straight and fourth in the last five years. In two seasons with the Rockets, Smith has only lost two games — both to Miami-rival Booker T. Washington. Last season, Miami Central finished #7 in the High School Football America/NHSCA Top 25 national rankings. Prior to arriving at Miami Central, Smith spent six seasons as the head coach at Miami Northwestern, leading the school to an overall record of 69-13, which included a perfect 15-0 season in 2006 that ended with a state championship. Smith is the third coach from Florida to be honored by the NHSCA with its National Football Coach of the Year Award. Past winners were St. Thomas Aquinas’ George Smith in 2011 and Charles “Corky” Rogers of The Bolles School in 2005.
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Personal Honors
Warren Hills High School
Coach Laurie Kerr has a lifetime coaching record of 265-71-12 and led the Warren Hills field hockey team to its first state title in 2014.
Coach Laurie Kerr has a lifetime coaching record of 265-71-12 and led the Warren Hills field hockey team to its first state title in 2014.
Laurie Kerr
Warren Hills High School
Impact Statement
Coach Laurie Kerr has a lifetime coaching record of 265-71-12 and led the Warren Hills field hockey team to its first state title in 2014.
Biography
Laurie Kerr, who has been the head field hockey coach at Warren Hills for 15 years, led the school to its first state title in 2014. Warren Hills captured New Jersey’s Group 3 title. Kerr, who is a Warren Hills alum, is a member of the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. Kerr’s lifetime record is 265-71-12. Coach Kerr is the second coach from New Jersey to be named NHSCA National Field Hockey Coach of the Year. Eastern Regional’s Danyle Heilig won the award in 2010.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Fayetteville-Manlius High School
In 2014 Coach Aris led both his girls’ and boys’ cross country teams to New York state championships and Nike Cross National titles
In 2014 Coach Aris led both his girls’ and boys’ cross country teams to New York state championships and Nike Cross National titles
Bill Aris
Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Impact Statement
In 2014 Coach Aris led both his girls’ and boys’ cross country teams to New York state championships and Nike Cross National titles
Biography
Bill Aris has led the Fayetteville-Manlius girls’ cross-country program to the pinnacle of the sport over the past decade. F-M’s girls program has been crowned national champions eight of the last nine seasons. The 2014 season saw Aris, who took over the program in 2004, lead both his girls’ and boys’ teams to New York state championships and Nike Cross National titles. The girls’ state title was F-M’s ninth straight. In December 2014, the Wall Street Journal called Aris “The Lombardi of Team Running”. Aris is the second coach from New York to be named NHSCAGirls’ Cross County Coach of the Year. Art and Linda Kranick of Saratoga Springs won the award in 2004.
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Personal Honors
La Salle Academy
This year under Coach Skelly LaSalle Academy runners captured their first Rhode Island Cross Country Championship since 1983.
This year under Coach Skelly LaSalle Academy runners captured their first Rhode Island Cross Country Championship since 1983.
Kenn Skelly
La Salle Academy
Impact Statement
This year under Coach Skelly LaSalle Academy runners captured their first Rhode Island Cross Country Championship since 1983.
Biography
2014 was a super year for Coach Kenn Skelly and his La Salle Academy runners. First, La Salle captured its first Rhode Island Cross Country championship since 1983. La Salle placed five runners in the top nine at the state meet and seven runners finished in the top eleven. Then, for the first time ever, La Salle qualified for the Nike Cross Country Nationals, finishing 18th at the event. Coach Skelly is the first winner of the NHSCA National Boys’ Cross Country Coach of the Year Award from Rhode Island.
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Personal Honors
Blackman High School
During the 2013-14 school year, Blackman was named mythical national champs by ESPN, MaxPreps and USA Today.
During the 2013-14 school year, Blackman was named mythical national champs by ESPN, MaxPreps and USA Today.
Chad Hibdon
Blackman High School
Impact Statement
During the 2013-14 school year, Blackman was named mythical national champs by ESPN, MaxPreps and USA Today.
Biography
Chad Hibdon built Blackman High School into a national power during his ten years as head coach of the program. This past season, Hibdon’s team captured its second straight Tennessee Class AAA championship. Over the last two seasons, Blackman amassed a record of 66-3. Four of the starters on this year’s team have accepted Division I college scholarships. During the 2013-14 school year, Blackman was named mythical national champs by ESPN, MaxPreps and USA Today. Hibdon, who resigned at the end of the season to take over as head coach at Truett-McDonnell College in Georgia, owns an overall record at Blackman of 199-98, which included only winning only 10 games in his first two seasons at Blackman. Coach Hibdon is the first coach from Tennessee to be named NHSCA National Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Blanche Ely High School
I’m always looking to get better!
I’m always looking to get better!
Melvin Randall
Blanche Ely High School
Impact Statement
I’m always looking to get better!
Biography
Melvin Randall led Blanche Ely High School to its third Florida 7A championship in the last four years during the 2014-15 season. His team finished 28-0 and was ranked in the Top 5 of several national ranking services. His team played in the Dick’s Sporting Goods National in April, losing its only game of the season in the quarterfinals to Nevada-power Findlay Prep. Coach Randall has won six Florida state basketball titles (four at Blanche Ely and two at Deerfield Beach) during his 23-years as a head basketball coach in the state. His overall coaching record is 482-141. Randall also named All-USA Boys Basketball Coach of the Year. Coach Randall is the first coach from Florida to win the NHSCA’s National Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year Award.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Parkview High School
It’s about showing up and gritting it out!
It’s about showing up and gritting it out!
Chan Brown
Parkview High School
Impact Statement
It’s about showing up and gritting it out!
Biography
Chan Brown has been the head coach of Parkview High School for eleven seasons, during which time the Panthers have been not only one of the best teams in the State of Georgia, but in the nation. At the time of his honor, Parkview is ranked #1 in the nation by Baseball America — the Panthers won the 2012 mythical national championship. A week ago, Parkview won the 2015 Georgia AAAAAA state title, the school’s third under Brown. This past season, Coach Brown celebrated his 300th win and owns an overall record of 326-121 . In 2014, Coach Brown was the manager of USA Baseball’s 15-Under national team that competed in the 15-U Baseball World Cup, winning a silver medal. Coach Brown has won over a dozen Coach of the Year Awards, including the ABCA Southeastern Regional Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2012.Coach Brown is the first coach from Georgia to win the NHSCA National High School Baseball Coach of the Year Award.
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