Coach of The Year Application – National High School Strength Coaches Association

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NHSSCA National Coach of the Year

This award is given annually to a High School Strength and Conditioning Coach in recognition of his or her coaching achievements and passion for the profession.

The nomination can be made by filling out the form below.

Nominations are reserved for Professional Members ONLY. To access the nomination form and submit your nomination, please LOGIN HERE

The Process

The National Coach of the Year is selected from among the top coaches nationwide and receives the unique, personalized Coach of the Year Belt Award at the National Conference.

The nomination can be made by filling out the form below.

Nominations are reserved for Professional Members ONLY. To access the nomination form and submit your nomination, please LOGIN HERE

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must be current NHSSCA Professional Members.
Candidates must have a minimum of 5 years serving as a full-time faculty member in the role of strength and conditioning coach (private or public high school).
Previous National Coach of the Year winners and Hall of Fame inductees are not eligible.

Nomination Process

Candidates must be nominated by another CURRENT NHSSCA Professional Member.
To nominate a deserving coach, fill out the NHSSCA Coach of the Year Nomination Form.
Nominations begin on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 and close at midnight on Thursday, October 31st, 2024.

Application Process

Nominees who have been notified will then be asked to complete the Coach of the Year application.
Once the application is completed, the nominee’s information will be sent to the appropriate State Director.

State and Regional Selection

The State Director will review all applications, select the top two (2) candidates, and submit their names to the NHSSCA Regional Board Member for National Coach of the Year consideration.
The Regional Director will evaluate all submissions and select the top candidate for the National Coach of the Year pool.

Final Selection

After the National Coach of the Year has been chosen, the remaining candidates will be returned to the Regional Director to determine the Regional and State Coaches of the Year. (State Directors are not eligible to win the State Coach of the Year Award but can be included in the Regional and National process.)

Got Questions?

– If you have any questions about the process, please contact Steve Schween.

Congratulations to the 2024 National High School Strength Coach of The Year

Matt Cates

Matt Cates has been a high school strength coach for 18 years and is the NHSSCA Indiana State Director and head strength coach at Penn High School. A 2006 Manchester University graduate, he’s coached at multiple schools and was named 2023 NHSSCA Great Lakes Strength Coach of the Year.