TOPEKA, Kan. — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced that nine high school coaches from Kansas have been named National Coaches Association Sectional Coaches of the Year for the 2021-22 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 (2021-22):
Jay Myers (Girls Track and Field) Lindsborg-Smoky Valley HS
Cheryl Kucharik (Girls Tennis) Scott Community HS
Kurt Davids (Boys Tennis) Topeka West HS
Bethany Bastian (Girls Swimming and Diving) Andover HS
Tara Trear (Girls Spirit) Emporia HS
Tate Thompson (Girls Wrestling) Pratt HS
Bryan Luetters (8-Player Football) Meade HS (Current Coach at Liberal HS)
Jill Rowland (Girls Basketball) Sterling HS
Brandon Terry (Boys Wrestling) Augusta HS
State Coaches of the Year (2021-22):
Heath Gerstner (Boys Baseball) McPherson HS
Chris Schmidt (Boys Basketball) Olpe HS
Curtis Morgan (Boys Cross Country) Buhler HS
Clint Rider (Boys Football 11-Player) Blue Valley Northwest HS
Erik Jones (Boys Soccer) Blue Valley Southwest HS
Dave Youker (Boys Swimming and Diving) Olathe East HS
Kurt Davids (Boys Tennis) Topeka West HS
Brandon Terry (Boys Wrestling) Augusta HS
Bryan Luetters (Boys Football 8-player) Meade HS
Jody Miller (Boys Middle School Sports) Rock Creek Middle School
Jill Rowland (Girls Basketball) Sterling HS
Kelsey Carbajo (Girls Cross Country) Olathe West HS
Aaron Anderson (Girls Golf) Blue Valley West HS
Bill Finucane (Girls Softball) Eudora HS
Chery Kucharik (Girls Tennis) Scott Community HS
Jay Myers (Girls Track and Field) Lindsborg-Smoky Valley HS
Alex Aiman (Girls Soccer) Blue Valley West HS
Jaymes Dickinson (Girls Spirit) Blue Valley Southwest HS
Bethany Bastian (Girls Swimming and Diving) Andover HS
Kaylie Bergkamp (Girls Volleyball) Andale HS
Tate Thompson (Girls Wrestling) Pratt HS
Nate Clevenger (Girls Middle School Sports) Girard Middle School
Tara Trear (Girls Spirit) Emporia HS
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.
