The United States Olympic Committee today announced its annual award recipients for 2016 national coaches of the year. On the Olympic side, Geno Auriemma (basketball; Storrs, Connecticut) and Aimee Boorman (gymnastics; Sarasota, Florida) shared the honor as National Coach of the Year, while Adam Bleakney (Paralympic track and field; Champaign, Illinois) was recognized as Paralympic National Coach of the Year. Additionally, Kim Zmeskal-Burdette (gymnastics; Houston, Texas) was selected Developmental Coach of the Year, Tom Miller (speedskating; Lake Placid, New York) was named Volunteer Coach of the Year and Derek Davis (archery; Bronx, New York) took home the Doc Councilman Science Award.
National Governing Bodies selected their 2016 Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. Three national finalists in each category were selected by a panel of coaching and sport education professionals.
Co-National Coaches of the Year – Geno Auriemma, USA Basketball
In 2016, Auriemma led the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team to its sixth straight – and eighth overall – gold medal in Rio, extending its winning streak to 49 straight. Scoring more than 100 points in six of its eight games, the 2016 squad topped opponents by an average of 37.2 points per game and became the second-most prolific Olympic scoring team, trailing only the 1996 squad. Completing the tournament with an 8-0 record, Auriemma improved his Olympic head coaching record to a perfect 16-0, stemming from 2012.
Co-National Coach of the Year – Aimee Boorman, USA Gymnastics
Boorman, the 2016 head coach for the gold‐medal-winning U.S. Olympic Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team, also served as personal coach to four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles. Under Boorman’s direction, Team USA became the first U.S. squad to defend its gold medal in the team competition and the first team to win back-to-back Olympic golds since Romania did so in 2000 and 2004. The team secured gold with 184.897 points – more than eight points over second-place Russia. Boorman also guided Biles in becoming the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history with 19 career world and Olympic medals. In Rio, Biles became the first American gymnast to win four golds at a single Games and one of only four women to accomplish the feat in Olympic history.
Paralympic National Coach of the Year – Adam Bleakney, U.S. Paralympic Track and Field
Bleakney further established himself as one of this best wheelchair racing coaches in the world after leading the U.S. women to a podium sweep in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter events against one of the strongest wheelchair fields in Paralympic Games history. He guided 12 athletes in winning 15 medals in Rio, including Tatyana McFadden (four golds, two silvers); Chelsea McClammer (two silvers, one bronze); Amanda McGrory (one silver, two bronzes); and Ray Martin (two golds, one silver). Under his tutelage, McFadden continued to dominate the wheelchair marathon scene, winning four major marathons in 2016 for the fourth consecutive year.
Developmental Coach of the Year – Kim Zmeskal-Burdette, USA Gymnastics
Zmeskal-Burdette led athletes to numerous national and international titles in junior Olympic, junior elite, and senior elite competition in 2016, including 10 medals at the 2016 Junior Olympic National Championships. Under her direction, U.S. national team member Emma Malabuyo won eight medals – including three golds – on the international circuit, marking the most international medals of any U.S. junior elite gymnast in 2016. Zmeskal also oversaw the development of Ragan Smith, who was named an alternate for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team after she finished only six-tenths of a point behind three-time Olympic champion Gabby Douglas in her senior elite debut.
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Tom Miller, Adirondack Speedskating Club
Miller guided athletes to standout performance over multiple distances in 2016, helping develop the next generation of elite U.S. speedskaters. Under his tutelage, Esther Munoz was named to the U.S. Junior Development Team for her second year, winning the 2016 Junior Ladies AmCup and finishing fifth at the U.S. Junior National Speedskating Championships. He also led Fletcher Codd to his first U.S. Junior Development Team selection, and all-around men’s titles at the Shea Sprint and Jewtraw All-Around Championships. Also under his direction, Sydney-Yu Terpening won the US Speedskating Junior C Ladies National Age Class Championship title and placed second at the US Speedskating Junior National Championships.
National Doc Counsilman Science Award – Derek Davis, USA Archery
Davis’ technological advances have greatly altered performance tracking in archery. His use of high-speed, 360-degree cameras offer athletes and coaches a more efficient perspective and comprehensive understanding of performance patterns in practice that can be applied to competition. He also implemented a brain-wave-analysis program, which helps archers ignore outside distractions and noise when shooting. The program is designed to play music at high volumes when the archer is at full draw to enhance focus during practice and competition. His teachings have led to the success of the Columbia University Women’s Archery Team, which earned national titles in both compound and recurve in 2016.
All-Time USOC Coach of the Year Award Recipients
National Coach of the Year
The National Coach of the Year is presented to a coach of an elite-level club, collegiate or national-level team, or the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of his/her sport.
1996 Tara VanDerveer, U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Coach
1997 Frank Carroll, Olympic figure skating coach of Michelle Kwan
1998 Ben Smith, U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey coach
1999 Chris Carmichael, Cycling Coach of Lance Armstrong
2000 Richard Quick, U.S. Olympic Women’s Swimming Team coach
2001-02 Pete del’Giudice, U.S. Snowboarding coach
2003 Lloyd Woodhouse, USA Shooting National Team coach
2004 Mike Candrea, U.S. Softball Women’s National Team coach
2005 Eddie Reese, U.S. Men’s National Swimming Team coach
2006 Bud Keene, U.S. Snowboarding coach
2007 Guy Baker, U.S. National Water Polo Team coach
2008 Hugh McCutcheon, U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team coach
2009 Bob Bradley, U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team coach
2010 Brian Shimer, U.S. men’s bobsled head coach
2011 Rick Bower, U.S. Halfpipe Snowboarding Team coach
2012 Adam Krikorian, U.S. Women’s National Water Polo Team coach
2013 Erik Flora, Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Club head coach
2014 Skogen Sprang, U.S. Slopestyle Skiing Team head coach
2015 Craig Parnham, U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey Team head coach
2016 Geno Auriemma, U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team head coach
Aimee Boorman, U.S. Olympic Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team coach
Paralympic National Coach of the Year
The Paralympic National Coach of the Year is presented to a coach of an elite-level club, collegiate or national-level team, or the coach of an elite athlete who competes at the highest level of his/her sport.
2004 Mike Hulett, USA Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team coach
2005 Randi Smith, U.S. Paralympic Archery Team Head coach
2006 Julie O’Neill, U.S. Paralympic Swim Team head coach
2007 Adam Bleakney, U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Track coach
2008 Ken Armbruster, U.S. Paralympic Women’s Goalball head coach
2009 Scott Moore, Denver Judo coach
2010 Ray Watkins, 2010 U.S. Paralympic Alpine Ski Team coach
2011 Dave Denniston, U.S. Paralympic Swimming head coach
2012 Tom Franke, U.S. Paralympic Swimming head coach
2013 Adam Bleakney, U.S. Paralympic Track & Field coach
2014 Brian Loeffler, Swimming, U.S. Paralympic Swimming Team coach
2015 John Devorss, Salem Tennis and Swim Club
2016 Adam Bleakney, U.S. Paralympic Track and Field coach
Developmental Coach of the Year
The Developmental Coach of the Year is presented to 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.
1996 Jeff Shaffer, University of Southern California
1997 Dianne Holum, Speedskating
1998 Mike Stafford, Millvale Golden Gloves Gym
1999 Tom Healy, Northbrook Speedskating Club
2000 Fred Zimny, Luge
2001-02 Mike Eaves, U.S. National Under-18 Hockey Team
2003 Bob Fraley, Fresno State University Track and Field
2004 Dwayne Miller, Norfolk Real Deal Track Club
2005 Tammy Gambill, U.S. Figure Skating
2006 Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson, U.S. Figure Skating
2007 Paul Yetter, USA Swimming
2008 Rajul Sheth, Table Tennis
2009 John Wingfield, Director and Head Coach of USA Diving National Training Center
2010 Michael Nyitray, United States Bowling Congress
2011 James Hrbek, USA Judo
2012 Michael Nyitray, United States Bowling Congress
2013 Kathleen Johnston, USA Triathlon
2014 George Ryals, Archery Learning Center
2015 Brett Wolf, Menomonee Judo Club
2016 Kim Zmeskal-Burdette, USA Gymnastics
Volunteer Coach of the Year
The Volunteer Coach of the Year is presented to a coach who does not receive payment in any form for his/her involvement in coaching at any level.
2003 Carol Hardemon, Metro Dade Track Club
2004 Barry Hunter, Washington, D.C. Boxing coach
2005 Cindi Hart, IndySpeed Sport Club head coach (speedskating)
2006 Booker Woods, LA JETS head coach (track and field)
2007 Sherman Nelson, USA Taekwondo coach
2008 Rita Gladstone, Area Tennis League coordinator
2009 Brian McCutcheon, Oahu Taekwondo Center instructor
2010 Dave Farmer, Aurora Saracens Rugby Club coach
2011 Tom Waga, Brigham Young University Rugby coach
2012 Don Showalter, USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team coach
2013 Bienvenido “Benny” Roman, USA Boxing Training Camp coach
2014 Kathleen Stevenson, Oklahoma Storm Junior Olympic Archer Development Team coach
2015 Carl Cepuran, Glen Ellyn Speedskating
2016 Tom Miller, Adirondack Speedskating Club
Doc Counsilman Science Award
The Doc Counsilman Science Award recognizes 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.
2004 Joe Vigil, USA Track & Field
2005 Dr. Kyle Pierce, USA Weightlifting
2006 Kate Arbour, U.S. Figure Skating
2007 Sean O’Neill, U.S. Paralympics Table Tennis
2008 Dave Bennett, USA Wrestling
2009 Heidi Thibert, U.S. Figure Skating and Edora Pool and Ice Center coach
2010 Dr. Grant Schaffner, U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton Federation
2011 Neal Henderson, USA Cycling
2012 Doug Eng, U.S. Tennis Association
2013 Gordon Uehling III, U.S. Tennis Association
2014 Dave Hamilton, U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey Team director of performance science
2015 Warren Pretorius, Tennis Analytics
2016 Derek Davis, USA Archery
Press Release courtesy of USOC.
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