James Holdren
Maggie L. Walker Governor's School
Impact Statement
Holdren is one of the most accomplished Track & Field coaches in the nation. He is still adding to these accomplishments at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School.
Biography
Holdren has been coaching cross country and track for 43 years, beginning his career at the College of William and Mary while he was still a cross country runner on the team. The track and field rules interpreter for the state of Virginia, Holdren was named the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) Girls Track and Field Coach of the Year in 1988 and the Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2006, the same year he was inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1993, Holdren has compiled 1,227 victories at Thomas Jefferson High in Richmond and at the Governor’s School, including a 16-year undefeated streak in girls’ track. He is the state’s all-time leading winner in girls cross country and track. He has coached 10 national record holders, 51 All-Americans, and 115 state champions.
Since being honored in 2007, Holdren has continued to hold the reigns at the Governor’s School. After 53 years in the sport, he’s still at the top of his game.
In 2010 Holdren was honored with the inagural Gill Athletics National High School Track & Field Coach of the Year Award.
In 2015 Holdrens’ girls’ and boys’ teams literally ran away with the Indoor State Titles.
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Professional Achievements
Lisbon High School
“He bleeds red and gold.” -Pat Adair, Lisbon activities director
Joe Howell
Lisbon High School
Impact Statement
“He bleeds red and gold.” -Pat Adair, Lisbon activities director
Biography
Howell, who grew up in Lisbon in a family of nine children, was hired at his hometown high school to fill in for a teacher who was given some time off to try to sell his business. The business never sold, and Howell is still coaching track and field 29 years later – and handling athletic director duties as well.
Howell was also the school’s head basketball coach for eight seasons in the 1980s, started the school’s cross country program without a stipend, also coaching baseball and football. Howell’s track program at Lisbon has become a small-school powerhouse, winning 26 region championships to go along with three Class B state team titles.
This year’s boys’ and girls’ teams finished eighth. A seven-time state Coach of the Year, Howell was selected National Track and Field Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 2005.
Since being honored in 2007 Howell continued to coach Lisbon until his retirement in 2011, after 33 years. While he retired, he stayed on as an assistant coach.
Howell has also helped coach football, basketball, volleyball, cross country, baseball and softball programs throughout his tenure at Lisbon.
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Professional Achievements
Edina High School
“We try to put a product on where the kids love to play, they love to come to tennis, they learn and have fun, and we’ve been successful doing that.” -Steve Paulsen
Steve Paulsen
Edina High School
Impact Statement
“We try to put a product on where the kids love to play, they love to come to tennis, they learn and have fun, and we’ve been successful doing that.” -Steve Paulsen
Biography
Paulsen has coached Edina’s girls teams for 15 seasons, and his teams have won the last 10 Class AA state team titles, with 11 titles overall. His Hornets’ teams have won 108 of 109 conference dual meets, and his career record stands at 320-9. His players have won six state singles titles and six state doubles titles. In 2005 Paulsen was selected the Class AA Girls Tennis Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association.
In addition to coaching girls tennis at Edina, Paulsen coaches the boys team at Eastview High in Apple Valley, and one of his players advanced to the state singles finals in 2006. He coaches eight women’s league teams and three junior development groups, and has been a clinician for the United States Tennis Association at the Fort Snelling Tennis and Learning Center.
Since being honored in 2007 Paulsen has continued to lead Edina, a perennial power on the court. Edina won sixteen straight titles from 1997 until 2012.
After 28 years Paulsen retired in 2019 and went out on top with a victory over Minnetonka 7-0 to claim their 23rd State Championship. Paulsen boasts over 600 career wins. Three of his boys’ teams have also won state titles.
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Pioneer High School
‘This was never work to me. It was all fun, all passion. It was never, never work.” -Tom Pullen
Tom Pullen
Pioneer High School
Impact Statement
‘This was never work to me. It was all fun, all passion. It was never, never work.” -Tom Pullen
Biography
It’s been more than seven years – April 17, 2000, to be exact – since a Pullen-coached boys team at Pioneer lost a dual meet. They also posted tournament winning streaks of 52 and 50 straight through last season, and are favored to win a seventh consecutive Division 1 team title this spring. In the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Pullen’s boys teams posted a 526-16 match record and combined for 44 state singles or doubles crowns.
Now in his 17th season, Pullen’s boys teams have won a total of eight state titles; his girls teams have won four state crowns and posted a seventh runnerup finish last fall. A retired dentist who was a member of the wrestling team at the University of Michigan, Pullen didn’t take up tennis until the age of 35, but since then has won 10 city doubles championships. He was voted the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association’s Division 1 Coach of the Year in 2006.
Since being honored in 2007, Pullen continues to lead Pioneer to success. In 2010, both his Girls’ and Boys’ teams finished second in the state. In 2012, Pioneer named the courts in his honor.
Although he’s retired from his dental practice, Pullen is still actively leading Pioneer’s tennis teams. Most recently, his boys’ team made it to the state finals in 2019.
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Professional Achievements
Lafayette High School
Chard coached teams to 12 State Championships over his thirty year career.
Jean Chard
Lafayette High School
Impact Statement
Chard coached teams to 12 State Championships over his thirty year career.
Biography
Chard’s teams at Lafayette have won 12 state titles and taken home 30 state trophies in his 30-year coaching career. His girls” teams have been particularly successful, winning the state title this year, scoring in all 12 events for its fifth state crown in seven years.
Lafayette also won four consecutive titles from 2001-04, finishing second in 2005 and 2006. Chard also coached the Lafayette boys’ teams from 1980-97, and in 1997 his boys and girls teams both won state titles. The National Federation of State High School Associations named Chard its National Swimming Coach of the Year in 2004.
Subsequently, after being honored Chard retired from coaching and teaching in 2008.
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Professional Achievements
Jenks High School
“We try to make it a family, and that’s the key to me, because when we get to a close meet, then it gives them an advantage.” -John Turner
John Turner
Jenks High School
Impact Statement
“We try to make it a family, and that’s the key to me, because when we get to a close meet, then it gives them an advantage.” -John Turner
Biography
Turner has been a successful coach in four states, but his Jenks teams have stood out over his 22 years as swimming and water polo coach. His teams have won 20 state swimming team titles, with his boys team taking its 12th title this year under his direction. He led the Trojans boys’ teams to nine consecutive titles (1996-2004). His girls’ team finished second this year and the Trojan girls have won eight state crowns.
Five times – in 1991, 1992, 2002, 2003 and 2004 – both the Jenks boys and girls teams took state titles. His swimmers own five individual and six relay state records. Three of his swimmers have competed in the Olympic Games and he has produced six NAIA national champions, 92 high school state champions and 66 high school All-Americans.
Since being honored in 2007, Turner continued to lead Jenks until his retirement in 2018 after 40 years of coaching. During the course of his career Turner’s teams have won a total of 28 State Championships, as his boys’ teams won 17 and girls’ 11.
In addition to his team’s accomplishments, he’s coached 163 individual state champions. His swimmers continued to succeed, as he’s coached 27 NCAA All Americans in all divisions. He’s also had eight team members swim at the Olympic Trials and three Olympians.
Records
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Giron led Aquinas to 15 Florida State Championships and holds a career record of 770-72-24, making him the winningest coach in the nation.
Carlos Giron
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Impact Statement
Giron led Aquinas to 15 Florida State Championships and holds a career record of 770-72-24, making him the winningest coach in the nation.
Biography
In 24 seasons at St. Thomas Aquinas, Giron’s teams have compiled a record of 586-50-12 – second on the national victory list – and won 10 Class 5A state titles, including seven straight from 1993-99. His Raiders also won titles in 1990, 2004 and 2005.
Five of Giron’s teams finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally by the NSCAA, in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2004, and the Raiders own national records for goals in a season (238), consecutive victories (118), unbeaten streak (145), consecutive shutouts (26) and shutouts in a season (29).
Giron received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Athletic Coaches Association and National Coach of the Year honors from the National Federation of State High School Associations in 1997, and was inducted into the Broward Hall of Fame in 1994.
Since being honored, Giron has continued to lead St. Thomas Aquinas to dominance in both Florida and across the nation.
In 2015 Giron added to his list of accolades as the Raiders won their 15th State Championship, in addition to being ranked first in the nation.
Giron retired after the season as the winningest coach in the nation. His career record is 770-72-24. That’s a 90.3 winning percentage.
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Arlington High School
“Right at the beginning, set down your philosophies, goals and expectations as high as you want, and most of these kids will attempt to climb to the top of the ladder to meet them.”
Gary Montalto
Arlington High School
Impact Statement
“Right at the beginning, set down your philosophies, goals and expectations as high as you want, and most of these kids will attempt to climb to the top of the ladder to meet them.”
Biography
Montalto was named the National High School Division 1 Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) after coaching Arlington to its third state title in his 28th season as head coach. His team finished 25-0 this season and No. 3 in the NSCAA/adidas national rankings.
Montalto also coached Arlington to state titles in 1984 and 1999, and five of his teams have advanced to the state finals. His career record of 490-78-40 places him sixth on the state’s all-time victory list and in the top 30 nationally. Only two coaches in New York boys soccer history have won more state titles. Montalto is the NSCAA regional chairman for high school boys rankings and Coach of the Year committees and serves as boys soccer chairman for New York’s Section 1.
After being honored in 2007, Montalto continued to coach for two more years before retiring in 2009 after 31 season. In his career he boasts 542 wins and three state titles.
In 2011 Montalto made a change and moved to Delaware, where he took over the Cape Henlopen girls’ soccer program and coached for another three years.
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Professional Achievements
The Baylor School
Dr. Oehmig led Baylor to 21 State Tiles between the Girls’ and Boys’ Teams.
Dr. H. King Oehmig
The Baylor School
Impact Statement
Dr. Oehmig led Baylor to 21 State Tiles between the Girls’ and Boys’ Teams.
Biography
A 1969 Baylor graduate and the Vicar of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Trion, Ga., Dr. Oehmig has been the Head Coach and Director of Golf at the Baylor School for the past 10 years. In that time he has coached the Red Raiders’ boys’ and girls’ golf teams to 17 Division 2 state team titles. That total includes 10 crowns in the girls’ team’s current 12-year state title streak, the longest in Tennessee high school history in any sport, and his boys’ teams also own a current seven-year title streak.
A member of the golf teams at Baylor and at the University of Virginia, Dr. Oehmig has played in the British Amateur twice, advanced to the USGA Mid-Amateur round of 16 and won many Chattanooga-area events. Three of his golfers earned All-Conference First Team honors at Southeastern Conference schools this spring.
Since being honored in 2007, Oehmig continued to coach at Baylor until 2009. During his tenure his teams won 21 state championships, including 12 consecutive for the girls/ and nine total for the boys’. In addition, he also coached 14 individual state champions.
In 2010 Dr. Oehmig was pegged as the interim head coach of Sewanee Men’s Head Coach, a position he held for three years until his retirement.
Away from the course Dr. Oehmig held a Doctor of Ministry from The School of Theology at Sewanee, The University of the South. He was an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church for almost 40 years.
Dr. Oehmig passed away in May of 2015.
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Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Whitefish High School
“For me, my goal is trying to keep the interest in golf high, and trying to figure out how to keep the kids involved enough to stay with it.” -Terry Nelson
Terry Nelson
Whitefish High School
Impact Statement
“For me, my goal is trying to keep the interest in golf high, and trying to figure out how to keep the kids involved enough to stay with it.” -Terry Nelson
Biography
Nelson’s teams at Whitefish swept the 2006 boys’ and girls’ Class A state team titles. It was the third time his teams had accomplished that feat, also sweeping the state crowns in 1988 and 1990. For his boys’ teams, it was their third consecutive state title and their third unbeaten season in a row.
In 23 years at the helm Nelson has directed seven of his boys’ teams to state titles. His girls’ teams twice won five state titles in a row – from 1986-90 and 1995-99 – and have won 12 state crowns under his direction, for a combined total of 19 state titles. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association selected Nelson as its National Golf Coach of the Year in 2006.
Since being honored in 2007, Nelson continued to lead Whitefish until 2011. During that time, his team won two more Girls’ Golf titles in 2007 and 2009. In 2008, he led the boys’ team to another state title. Over his career, he was the MCA Coach of the Year for Girls’ Golf 14 times and 8 times for the Boys’ team.
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Professional Achievements
Carroll High School
One of the most successful cross country coaches in Texas who has continued to build teams into powerhouses.
Robert Ondrasek
Carroll High School
Impact Statement
One of the most successful cross country coaches in Texas who has continued to build teams into powerhouses.
Biography
Carroll is known as a football powerhouse, but Ondrasek has developed a prominent cross country program as well, building the combined boys and girls roster from 20 runners to more than 100. His girls’ teams won the Class 4A state team title in 2000 and added Class 5A crowns in 2005 and 2006, and his boys’ teams have finished second, third and second in state the past three seasons. His girls’ team finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally and his boys’ team No. 12 nationally by The Harrier.
Ondrasek also has led Southlake to six state runnerup finishes. The Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas named Ondrasek its Class 5A Girls Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006, and he also earned Coach of the Year honors from the Dallas Morning News and the Texas Girls Coaches Association in 2006.
Since being honored Ondrasek continues to build teams into powerhouses. He led Carroll to another state championship in 2011.
In 2012 Ondrasek was hired as the first ever girls’ cross country and track & field coach at College Station High School. He has led the Cougars to six district titles and two regional titles. In addition, the squad qualified for the State Championships from 2012 through 2017. The won the 3A UIL Championship in 2013.
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Professional Achievements
Gillet High School
” I think that’s the measure of a man. How much have you helped other people and so on.” -Bill Greiten
Bill Greiten
Gillet High School
Impact Statement
” I think that’s the measure of a man. How much have you helped other people and so on.” -Bill Greiten
Biography
Greiten has had over 40 years of success coaching cross country and track at three Wisconsin schools. He coached the boys’ cross country and track teams for 32 seasons at two Racine schools – St. Catherine’s High (1964-69) and Case High (1970-96). His Case teams advanced to the state tournament 18 times, winning titles in 1973, 1975 and 1989 and posting 14 top-five finishes.
A co-founder of the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association, he was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1993, and into the Wisconsin Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007. In 1997 Greiten started the cross country program at Gillett, and still coaches the boys’ and girls’ high school and middle school programs. Five of his boys’ teams have qualified for the state meet, finishing fifth in 2003 and 2004. His girls’ team finished third in 2004, the school’s first girls team to qualify for state in any sport.
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Professional Achievements
Granbury High School
“That wasn’t just on the basketball court, but in life. A lot of the things we learn in sports, if we do them correctly, they carry over into life.” -Leta Andrews
Leta Andrews
Granbury High School
Impact Statement
“That wasn’t just on the basketball court, but in life. A lot of the things we learn in sports, if we do them correctly, they carry over into life.” -Leta Andrews
Biography
This year, in her 44th season, Andrews became the all-time winningest coach in American girls’ basketball history. Her career record at four high schools is 1,228-254, a winning percentage of almost 83 per cent. She led Corpus Christi Calallen High to the Class 4A state championship in 1990 and her teams have advanced to seven state title games and made 16 appearances in the Sweet Sixteen state tournament.
In February the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame named Andrews the inaugural recipient of the Morgan Wootten Award for Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball. Andrews, who also serves as girls’ athletic director and teaches a dance class at Granbury, was named Walt Disney Teacher of the Year in the category of coaching, health and physical education in 1993.
Andrews continued to lead Granbury until her retirement in 2014. She has won the most games all time in the nation with 1,416 victories over her 52 year career coaching both boys’ and girls’ teams.
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St Anthony High School
“St. Anthony’s is all I’ve ever done. And I think 50 years was enough.”
-Bob Hurley Sr. on life after St. Anthony’s
Bob Hurley Sr.
St Anthony High School
Impact Statement
“St. Anthony’s is all I’ve ever done. And I think 50 years was enough.”
-Bob Hurley Sr. on life after St. Anthony’s
Biography
Hurley has become a coaching institution in 35 years at the helm of the St. Anthony’s program. This season he became the first coach in New Jersey’s storied basketball history to record his 900th career victory. His overall record is 901-102 and his teams once compiled a 66-game winning streak, a state record. His teams at St. Anthony have won nine Meet of Champions overall state titles and 24 Parochial B state crowns, both tops among New Jersey schools.
St. Anthony most recently won both titles in 2001, 2002 and 2004, and his 2002 and 2004 teams finished No. 2 in the USA Today Super 25. This year’s team finished 28-1, advanced to the Parochial B final, and was ranked No. 7 by USA Today. Hurley’s sons, Bobby and Danny, starred at Duke University and went on to NBA careers. His program was profiled in a 2004 book, The Miracle of St. Anthony, written by Adrian Wojnarowski.
After being honored in 2007, Hurley remained at St. Anthony’s until the school closed in 2017. Over the years he amassed more then 1,200 wins and 28 State Titles. His teams also won 13 Tournament of Champions.
Upon the school’s closing, Hurley still spends his days on the court. Back to the basics with his wife, Chris. The Hurley’s started and now run an after- school basketball program.
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Professional Achievements
Cary High School
Winterton is one of the elite coaches in North Carolina Wrestling history with over 600 victories.
Jerry Winterton
Cary High School
Impact Statement
Winterton is one of the elite coaches in North Carolina Wrestling history with over 600 victories.
Biography
Since taking over the reins at Cary in 1982, Winterton’s teams have rewritten the state record books. Cary has won 16 Class 4A dual and individual state team titles, and Winterton has coached 40 individual state champions. In 1997, 2005 and 2007, Cary swept the dual and individual state titles, and this year’s team finished the season ranked No. 25 nationally by W.I.N. magazine.
Winterton has coached his teams to more tournament titles – 146 – than any other coach in American high school wrestling history. His teams have posted 24 unbeaten regular seasons, and his overall record is 517-15 at Cary and 539-33 in his career. Winterton was elected to the Cary High School Hall of Fame in 1995 and the North Carolina wing of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2004.
Since being honored in 2007, Winterton has continued to lead Cary to success until his retirement in 2010. He finished with a career record of 630-17 over his 29 year career. He has coach 44 individual state champions and 32 High School All Americans. He led Cary to 28 straight conference titles.
Upon his retirement Winterton continued to be a part of the team. He was the assistant coach for 11 years until 2020 when he took back the team as the head coach.
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Professional Achievements
Emmaus High School
“We want these kids to be successful. Even though we want to win a state championship, of course, we look at it as one game at a time.” -Sue Butz-Stavin
Sue Butz-Stavin
Emmaus High School
Impact Statement
“We want these kids to be successful. Even though we want to win a state championship, of course, we look at it as one game at a time.” -Sue Butz-Stavin
Biography
The year 2005 was memorable in the 31-year coaching career of Butz-Stavin, who stands No. 2 on the sport’s all-time victory list. Her Emmaus team finished with a perfect 28-0 record and won its state-best eighth state championship; Butz-Stavin recorded her 600th career victory; three of her players earned high school All-America honors; and she was named a finalist for the United States Olympic Committee’s Developmental Coach of the Year award.
Her career record stands at 638-69-33. This year’s team shut-out its first 19 opponents, finished 24-2 and advanced to the state semifinals. A member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame, Butz-Stavin’s FireStyx club team won the gold medal at the National Hockey Festival, winning pool championships in the event five of the last six years.
Since being honored in 2007, Butz-Stavin and the Green Hornets continue to rank as one of the best in Pennsylvania’s and across the nation. Emmaus won the AAA PA State Championship in 2010, 2015 and 2016. In addition, they finished second in 2013.
In 2015 Butz-Stavin notched her 840th win surpassing the national record for most wins. In 2017 she won her 900th game with a sudden victory win over their rival Parkland.
Butz-Stavin was also honored as the 2017 Coach of the Year after leading her team to its second straight Pennsylvania Class 3A state title.
In the past five years Emmaus boasts a record is 133-5. That puts her career record at 971-82-5. She’ll be looking for win 1,000 in 2021.
On Tuesday, October 5th, Butz-Stavin claimed that 100th win with a 12-0 shutout of East Stroudsburg North.
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Professional Achievements
Burris Laboratory School
“Steve Shondell is Burris volleyball.”
-Chad Wlodarek
Burris’ Athletic Director
Steve Shondell
Burris Laboratory School
Impact Statement
“Steve Shondell is Burris volleyball.”
-Chad Wlodarek
Burris’ Athletic Director
Biography
Shondell, whose father Don won 769 matches in 34 years as coach at Ball State University, has elevated the family tradition at the high school level. Steve Shondell just completed his 31st year at Burris and has won 18 state team titles, a total only two other schools in the nation have exceeded. His coaching record of 1,070-88 – a winning percentage of 92.5 per cent – places him seventh on the all-time victory list nationally.
Shondell led Burris to its first state title in 1982, the first of eight state championships in the open era. Since Indiana established class sports in 1997, Burris has won every Class 2A state title, including its 10th in a row this year while posting a 35-5 record. From 1989 through 1992, the Golden Owls lost just one match, and finished three seasons ranked No. 1 nationally
Since being honored in 2007, Shondell led the Owls to 21 State Championships over the years until 2009 when he accepted the head coach position at Ball State University. He finished with a high school career of 1,183-95.
While at Ball State, Shondell led the Cardinals to a career record of 119-68 during his tenure of six years. In 2010 Ball State won the MAC conference and Shondell was named the MAC Coach of the Year.
In 2017 Shondell was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2019 Shondell was rehired as the Burris head volleyball coach, spending one year at the helm. In September of 2019 he hit win number 1,200 at Burris. He retired as a legend from the sport in 2020 with a final record of 1,209-101.
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Professional Achievements
Baker High School
Scarbrough has led Baker to an impressive history with over 1500 wins in his storied career.
Tony Scarbrough
Baker High School
Impact Statement
Scarbrough has led Baker to an impressive history with over 1500 wins in his storied career.
Biography
In 21 seasons Scarbrough has taken a Baker program, which had never won more than 12 games in a season before he arrived, to the top of the softball mountain in Alabama. During his career, which included 12 years in the slow-pitch state series before converting Baker to fast-pitch in 1999, Scarbrough has built a career record of 1,088-314 and won six Class 6A state titles – three consecutive slow-pitch titles from 1991-93 and fast-pitch crowns in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Scarbrough’s last five teams own a 361-37 record.
His 2005 team, perhaps the best in state history, finished 78-3 and set or tied 20 state records. This year’s team broke one of those records by finishing 79-7. Prior to taking the reins at Baker, Scarbrough won over 1,000 games, 17 metro titles, eight state titles and four national titles as a Junior Olympic softball coach. He was inducted into the Mobile Softball Hall of Fame in 1992.
Since being honored in 2007, Scarbourgh continue to lead Baker. In 2015 Baker won another State Championship by winning the first 7A division. In 2019 he entered his 34th year of coaching at Baker.
In 2017, Scarbourgh was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.
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The Woodlands High School
““Our ultimate goal and one of our mantras is ‘Win The Pitch.’ We try to focus on what you can control. You have total command over your effort and attitude.” -Ron Eastman
Ron Eastman
The Woodlands High School
Impact Statement
““Our ultimate goal and one of our mantras is ‘Win The Pitch.’ We try to focus on what you can control. You have total command over your effort and attitude.” -Ron Eastman
Biography
Eastman’s 2006 Woodlands team, led by last year’s NHSCA Senior Athlete of the Year, Kyle Drabek, won the Class 5A state title, finishing with a 38-1 record and winning its final 31 games of the season. The Woodlands finished the season ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Super 25, earning Eastman the newspaper’s National Coach of the Year honors. Eastman has a 190-42 record in seven seasons at The Woodlands, winning four consecutive region and district titles. This spring The Woodlands finished 31-6, bowing out in the region meet. In 16 years as a head coach Eastman’s record is 313-143. The National High School Baseball Coaches Association named him its National Coach of the Year in 2006.
Since being honored in 2007, Eastman continues to lead The Woodlands to success. The Highlanders won another 5A Texas title in 2013. The Highlanders have most recently made state appearances in 2018 and 2019.
Over his career Eastman has produced 15 All Americans and 49 All State Players. In addition, he has had 24 players drafted into the MLB, including Arizona Diamondback’s Paul Goldschmidt and Pittsburgh’s Jamison Taillon. In addition, Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola was an All State player under Eastman’s guidance.
In 2019 Eastman secured his 600th career victory. He now has an overall career record of 602-263.
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Professional Achievements
Alcoa High School
“We develop our kids from the get-go,” he said. “We get them as much experience as we can”
-Gary Rankin on Alcoa’s consistency
Gary Rankin
Alcoa High School
Impact Statement
“We develop our kids from the get-go,” he said. “We get them as much experience as we can”
-Gary Rankin on Alcoa’s consistency
Biography
Rankin established himself as one of the state’s elite coaches in 16 seasons at Riverdale High in Murfreesboro. In 1990 he took over a Riverdale program coming off three consecutive losing seasons. After a 4-6 opening season, Rankin developed the Warriors into one of the state’s top programs, leading Riverdale to Class 5A state titles in 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2004 and nine state title games, including five straight from 2000-04. His teams won 14 district/region titles and he concluded his tenure at Riverdale with a 70-game winning streak against district/region opponents.
Last season, Rankin took over at Class 2A state power Alcoa High and led the Tornadoes to a 13-2 record – the losses coming to the Class 3A and Class 4A state champions – a third consecutive state title and the fifth of his career. EA Sports named Rankin, whose career record is 207-27, its National High School Coach of the Year in 2004.
Since being honored in 2007, Rankin has continued to lead Alcoa to dominance. In 2019 Alcoa captured their 14th State Championship, and Rankin’s 18th overall.
In 2011 Rankin was inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame.
In September of 2017 Rankin became the winningest coach in Tennessee by capturing his 400th career victory. After the 2019 season, Rankin’s career record is 439-76.