Kimber named NWCA High School Girls Coach of the Year

MANHEIM, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is proud to announce the 2019 winners of the Inaugural State and National High School Girls Coach of the Year awards. These awards were made available for any state whose high school association sponsored a Girls Championship, Pilot, or Invitational during the 2018-19 season. This program will continue to grow as the number of states sanctioning high school continues to grow. To date Girls High School Wrestling is now sanctioned in 18 states. States sponsoring girls championships: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts. Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington.

Scholastic Boys Coach of the Year Winners

This year's National Girls Coach of the Year is Mike Kimber from Mt. Edgecumbe High Schooll (AK) and the National Girls Assistant Coach of the Year is Brad Warren from Rossville High School (TN). Both Kimber and Warren were selected as State Coach of the Year winners.

Kimber (National and Alaska Coach of the Year) just completed his 19th season of coaching, each at Mt. Edgecumbe, his alma mater. Kimber's 2018-19 squad finished as State Champions with 13 qualifiers, 7 placers, and 1 individual state champion giving Mt. Edgecumbe back to back state titles. Coach Kimber was inducted into the Alaska Hall of Fame class of 2018 for his efforts in bringing high school girls wrestling to Alaska. In addition to the 2017 and 2018 State Titles, Kimber's squads have won 5 straight regional championships while garnering 38 state placers, 12 of whom won state titles.

Warren (National and Tennessee Assistant Coach of the Year) just completed his 6th season of coaching and his 5th at Rossview High School. Coach Warren serves as the lead coach for the girls team taking chare of the day to day operations of the squad when the boys team competes at a separate location. Warren also serves as an assistant coach for the Tennessee National Girls Team often traveling across the country as they compete at national events. In addition, Coach Warren helped start a new middle school team at Rossview and serves as the co-head coach.

"The NWCA is proud to launch the National Girls Coach of the Year program to recognize outstanding coaches who are going above and beyond to help grow girls' wrestling across our country. We now have 18 states sponsoring girls' wrestling with many more having great discussions about implementation in their state. Coach Mike Kimber's, and Coach Brad Warren's outstanding contributions to our sport are too numerous to list, but I know that the lasting impact they are making in the lives of there athletes will not be forgotten." Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director.

STATE - SCHOLASTIC GIRLS HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR

SECTION COACH SCHOOL STATE
Section 1 Joseph Lemke Jackson Memorial High School New Jersey
Section 3 Sean Moistner Alexander High School Georgia
Section 3 Vernon Walworth Hoke County High School North Carolina
Section 3 Kayla Sharp Clarksville Northwest High School Tennessee
Section 5 Randy Roark Lebanon High School Missouri
Section 6 Sparky Adair Eaglecrest HS/Cherry Creek School District Colorado
Section 7 Luis Gonzalez San Fernando High School California
Section 7 Rob Hesia Kamehameha Kapalama Hawaii
Section 8 Mike Kimber Mt. Edgecumbe High School Alaska
Section 8 Trent Kroll Hood River Valley High School Oregon
Section 8 Barb Morgan Sedro-Woolley High School Washington

STATE - SCHOLASTIC GIRLS ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR

SECTION COACH SCHOOL STATE
Section 1 Frank O'Shea Manalapan High School New Jersey
Section 3 Ben Mount Hiram High School Georgia
Section 3 Brad Warren Rossview High School Tennessee
Section 5 Matt Neely Lebanon High School Missouri
Section 7 Fallyn Kapoi Kamehameha Kapalama Hawaii
Section 8 Raymond "Thor" Williams Bethel Regional High School Alaska
Section 8 Lynn Miller Hood River Valley High School Oregon
Section 8 Tyson Lindeman Kelso High School Washington