Greg Massialas was named 2020 Olympic Coach of the Year. Photo Credit: Bizzi Team
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – USA Fencing is now accepting nominations for the 2021 United States Olympic & Paralympic Coach of the Year Awards.
The USOPC Coach of the Year Program honors coaches and service providers who are making a significant impact in their sport and National Governing Body.
There are eight categories as part of the USOPC Coach of the Year Program:
- Olympic Coach of the Year: a coach of a national-level team, or the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of his/her sport
- Paralympic Coach of the Year: a coach of a national-level team, or the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of his/her sport
- Developmental Coach of the Year: a coach at the youth club, high school or junior level, or a coach who is directly responsible for training athletes to reach the junior and/or elite level
- Volunteer Coach of the Year: a coach who does not receive payment in any form for his/her involvement in coaching at any level
- Doc Counsilman Coach of the Year: a coach who utilizes scientific techniques and equipment as an integral part of his/her coaching methods or has created innovative ways to use sport science
- College Coach of the Year: a coach at the NCAA level
- Service Provider of the Year: an NGB/HPMO affiliated service provider such as a strength and conditioning coach, physical therapist, sport psychologist, dietician or other that has made an impact in your NGB
- Coach Educator of the Year: Nominee must be a coach educator or ADM sport educator who has made an impact in the coaching education space
All accomplishments must have taken place from October 2020 through October 2021 and nominees must be currently employed or in their first year of retirement.
Click here to nominate a coach.
Nominations will be accepted through November 12. Nominations should be as detailed as possible and include examples. Individuals may nominate multiple coaches for the various categories.
Each National Governing Body may submit one coach in each category. After all nominations are submitted, USA Fencing will partner with the United States Fencing Coaches Association to create a selection committee composed of coaches at various levels.
Final nominations will be submitted to the USOPC by November 30 with the USOPC scheduled to announce its winners by the end of January of 2022.
For more information, please contact USA Fencing Senior Director of Sport Operations Christine Simmons Strong at c.simmons@usafencing.org.