I would like to be the first to congratulate Brian Shelton (Valley Center), Mike Chruch (Wichita South), Rick Rivera (Andale) and Brock Hutchinson (Smith Center) on being Coach of the Year in their respective classes.

Having coached against three of these guys this year (we see Valley Center 6 times and Wichtia South 7 times a year) I have the deepest respect for them. Coach Shelton can break down an opponent and discover a way to exploit their weaknesses better than any coach I have ever been assoicated with. You may beat one of his guys the first time but after that it is going to be a dog fight every time.

Coach Chruch, following in the Nigg tradition, gets more out of guys who have never wrestled then almost anyone. This year at state was a perfect example of what he can do with athletes who have never wrestled before high school.

Coach Rivera developed a dominate team this year keeping them preforming at a high level week after week.

I have never met or coached against Brock Hutchinson but congrats to him. They did a great job at state rising to the challenge.

For a full list of KWCA award winners go to:

http://www.holton.k12.ks.us/tech/kwca0506.pdf

Also congrats to my assistants Joaquin Zapata and Kevin Knapp (Bishop Carroll) on being 5A assistant coaches of the year. We would not be the same successful team without them and I would not survive a season without them.

I second all the above statements. Coach Shelton once pointed out the simplest adjustment for me to make as a freshman; I lost to a senior by a point who would have pinned me. As for Coach Church, he's alright

Thanks,

Wow!!! What a first year of coaching! Never thought it would go like this for sure!

I think this award is partially for the kids as it would not be possible without them. They are the ones who sacrifice for me daily. It's easy for me to sacrifice for them when I watch what they go through in their daily lives! It's pretty cool though. They are a good bunch. Experience or not they have heart and they are like sons to me. Congrats to the other coaches of the year and thanks Jamie.

Coach Shelton...there was no doubt in my mind who deserved that award in class 5A. I enjoy watching wrestling when your team is involved. Congrats to you especially as you deserved it!

I'd also like to send my congrats to all of the winners. You guys all had terrific seasons and are great for the sport.

Ryan

I would like to congratulate all of them as well. Andale did great this year, but I think coach Darian Eshelman of Rose Hill should have been considered in there for 4A based up how he turned that team around in one year. He didn't coach them last year and they took 33rd in the state. He comes back and they take 3rd in the state. Pretty impressive in my book!

Congrats Coaches. A special congrats to Brock Hutchinson, who only had 10 varsity wrestlers, qualified 8 of them and placed 6 with many of those kids back next year. Smith Center came to State to wrestle!

yea i would like to say congrats to brock as well, i got to wreslte for him and he truly is a great coach

Great kids always make any coach look good.

We are all just lucky in 5A that Finkeldei couldn't win two years in a row.

Finally, to everyone who thinks Church can coach, you should see him dance. Good Times!!!

Congratulations to all.

Shelton

Don't know why I am laughing right now but I am. Congrats to all of the coaches. It is also an honor to be doing some work with some of your kids. If they are a reflection of you as coaches, then you have done a tremendous job for the kids both on and off the mat.

Now did we really have to go there? LOL... You know I break it down with a mixture of styles from John Travolta and Justin Timberlake... add in some moves I learned from the movie "Save the last dance" and you have a well rounded dancer!
Ha ha! Remember Coach Shelton... Dancing is all about the partner!!!!

I can see it now, Mike Church on Dances with the Stars.

I became good friends with Brock Hutchinson through competing with and against him in high school wrestling and track. (We weren't good enough to meet up with Smith Center in football.) He was always a class act and a stand-up athlete. As I've watched his team progress over the past 6 years I've seen each and every one of them show the same qualities... so much so I've kind of become a fan.

Congrats to Brock on his first ever individual champion, the highest team state placing in Smith Center history, and his well-deserved "Coach of the Year" award. Good luck next year as you should be in the running again.

TR

OUCH on the comments though!

double ouch on the comments

My school has no feeder program for me to support!!! What am I supposed to do! Of course, I still go to all of the tourneys that I can.. I will be at D1's this weekend though... but I will be in Topeka and possibly Brutes Nationals!

Would you support it if you did?

I would be all up in it.

What exactly are the qualifications for being a Coach of the Year? I went back and looked at the previous winners and noticed Coach Johnson up in Norton was not a recipient of this award in any of his three consecutive state championship teams the past three years. Who votes for these nominees?

Coach Johnson won the award in 2001!

Richard,
That is why I am wanting to know if there are any criteria or qualifications that need to be met. Just seems strange that a coach does not win it at least one of the three years that his team wins state. Don't get me wrong, looking back at the past winners and looking at this years winners, they are all top-notch coaches and I congratulate them all!!!!!!!!!!