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Eleven Kansas Coaches Dubbed Sectional Coaches of the Year


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!


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