February 7, 2025
Montana Coaches Association MEDIA RELEASE
The Montana Coaches Association is pleased to announce that the following 10 Montana Coaches have been selected as “Finalists” for National Coach of the Year, by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA):
| Garrett | Middleton | Asst COY Boys’ | Corvallis |
| Bernice | Cook | Asst COY Girls’ | Hardin |
| Jim | Stergar | Basketball – Boys’ | Billings Central |
| Carl | Straub | Soccer | Helena High |
| Lynn | Shrader | Swimming | Butte |
| Jim | Carroll | Girls’ Track and Field | Conrad |
| Larry | Henderson | Boys’ Track and Field | Scobey |
| Jim | Stanton | Football | Billings Central |
| Mike | Miller | Softball | Helena Capital |
| Dustin | Kraske | Basketball-Girls’ | Havre |
Coaches are nominated by each member state. Eight finalists are selected in each sport category. This is a tremendous honor for Montana and for each of these well-deserved individuals.
Finalists will be honored during The National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet which will take place at the NHSACA National Convention in Rapid City, South Dakota on the evening of June 25, 2025. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA National Coach of the Year in nineteen recognized sports categories.
The nominees and finalists were selected based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years and winning percentage. They are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching, using a sport-specific rubric to assign points in each category. NHSACA was formed by coaches, for coaches, and has been recognizing National Coaches of the Year since 1978.
Friends, family, and fellow coaches are encouraged to attend the NHSACA Convention and Award Ceremony. For more information, go to: http://www.hscoaches.org/
