KHSAA Release

As part of its annual awards program, the National Federation of State High School Associations Coaches Association recognizes Coach of the Year honorees from each state. Those named Coach of the Year at the state level then advance for consideration for Sectional Coach of the Year honors. Winners are chosen through a combination of their coaching accomplishments, particularly for the season in question, as well as their contributions outside of competition to help grow their respective sports. These awards are announced following the recognized year.

The complete list of 2023-24 honorees from Kentucky is below.

• Baseball: Brad Burns, Pleasure Ridge Park
• Boys’ Basketball: Ryan Perry, Lyon County
• Boys’ Cross Country: Chris Davis, Bishop Brossart
• Football: Mark Spader, Bowling Green
• Boys’ Golf: Chris Cunningham, South Oldham
• Boys’ Soccer: Chris Grimm, Lafayette
• Boys’ Swimming & Diving: Jamie Palumbo; Bryan Station, Great Crossing, Lexington Catholic, Madison Central, Sayre, Scott County
• Boys’ Tennis: Andy Poore, McCracken County
• Boys’ Outdoor Track & Field: Roger Veliquette, Louisville Collegiate
• Boys’ Wrestling: Jarvis Elam, Brooks Black; Union County
• Girls’ Basketball: Candyce Wheeler, Butler
• Girls’ Cross Country: Patricia Sturgeon, Beechwood
• Girls’ Golf: Mackenzie Moir, Sacred Heart
• Girls’ Soccer: Scott Deopere, Bethlehem
• Softball: Chris Edwards, North Laurel
• Girls’ Swimming & Diving: Megan Zerhusen, Elizabethtown
• Girls’ Tennis: Chris Jones, Corbin
• Girls’ Outdoor Track & Field: Glenn Wilson, Bryan Station
• Girls’ Volleyball: Ron Kordes, Assumption
• Boys’ Archery: Mark Evans, Ryle
• Boys’ Bass Fishing: Rob Schneeman, Covington Catholic
• Boys’ Bowling: Julie Nichelson, Pleasure Ridge Park
• Boys’ Indoor Track & Field: Jeremy Mosher, Covington Catholic
• Esports: Scott Ricke, Shelby County
• Girls’ Archery: Jay Dixon, Madison Central
• Girls’ Bass Fishing: Dennis Hammonds, South Laurel
• Girls’ Bowling: Todd Conley, Johnson Central
• Field Hockey: Allison Nonos, Ballard
• Girls’ Indoor Track & Field: Brian Crumbo, North Oldham
• Girls’ Wrestling: Spencer Adams, Angie Vitiritti; Taylor County
• Cheer: Joy McKeeham, Knox Central
• Dance: Jaclyn Simpson, Daviess County
• Adapted/Allied/Unified: Carol Bryar, Eastern

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 two “other” sports – one for boys and one for girls – that are not included in the top 10 listings. The NFHS also recognizes a cheer coach and a dance coach as separate spirit award categories, as well as an Adapted/Allied/Unified coach. Winners of NFHS awards must be active coaches during the year for which they receive their awards.

The next award level after state Coach of the Year is Sectional Coach of the Year. The NFHS is divided into eight geographical sections: Section 1 – Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont); Section 2 – Mideast (Delaware; Kentucky; Maryland; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Virginia; Washington, D.C.; West Virginia); Section 3 – South (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee); Section 4 – Central (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin); Section 5 – Midwest (Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota); Section 6 – Southwest (Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas); Section 7 – West (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah); and Section 8 – Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming).

The NFHS Coaches Association has an advisory committee composed of a chair and eight sectional representatives. 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 two spirit categories, the Adapted/Allied/Unified category and two “other” categories.