January 30, 2018
It is with great pleasure that the National High School Athletic Coaches Association announces the advancement of Sam Sparks from RUSSELL HIGH SCHOOL as a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association national athletic director of the year.
Eight finalists from across the nation will be honored during The National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet which will take place at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s national convention at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, SD on the evening of June 27, 2018. The highlight of the banquet will be the naming of the NHSACA national coach of the year in nineteen recognized sports categories.
SAM SPARKS was nominated for this national honor by the state’s high school coaches’ association. This selection was based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years, and winning percentage. The nominees and finalists are evaluated by experts in the field of coaching using a sport-specific rubrics to assign points in each category. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association is the oldest coaches association in the nation formed by coaches, for coaches, and has been recognizing national coaches of the year since 1978.
Sparks is a former basketball coach at Lawrence Co. High School until he moved to Russell where he has been since.