Dobson High coaches
Nancy Ellis and Kyle Sawyer were named finalists in the National High School
Athletic Coaches Association's 1998 Coach of the Year Awards. "It's kind of
neat that we both got it in the same year." Ellis says.
By Craig Morgan
The Arizona Republic
March 31, 1998
Dobson coaches Nancy Ellis and Kyle Sawyer have received many accolades over the years. On June 28, each will get a chance to add one more to their resumes.
Sawyer (cross country) and Ellis (softball) were both named finalists last week in the National High School Athletic Coaches Association's 1998 Coach of the Year Awards. The duo will travel to New Carrollton, Md., June 20-26 where the winners will be announced.
"It's kind of neat that we both got it in the same year," Ellis said. "Now we can go together and tell them that we're the best in the West and all those other good things."
Ellis and Sawyer join Mountain Pointe tennis Coach Bob Deacon and Valley Christian football Coach Bernie Benson as finalists from the East Valley. Three other Arizona coaches also are among the finalists. All eight finalists in each sport will receive plaques.
The NHSACA has been awarding such honors since 1969 when the organization was founded. Currently, 38 states submit entries in 15 sports and an athletic director category. The association then narrows the field to eight finalists in each sport.
The selections are based on several criteria, among them: Coaching tenure, win/loss percentage, community service and a subjective category that includes reputation and honors received.
The names then go through rigorous checks at the state, regional and national level before making the cut.
"It's really a career award," NHSACA Executive Director Gary Brines said. "We don't just look at what someone has done in the past couple of years, so the name 'Coach of the Year' is a little misleading. We base it on what that coach has been doing for an extended period of time, and those coaches in Arizona stood out."
But Sawyer takes little responsibility for the honor.
"To be honest with you, this has nothing to do with coaches," he said. "It's for all those hard working kids at Westwood, at Cortez at Casa Grande and now at Dobson. The kids put you where you are."
Sawyer has coached cross country for 21 years. He led Westwood to six state championships (1990, '91, '93, '94, '95, '96) and 15 region titles. Last season, in his first year with the Mustangs, he led Dobson to the state championship.
Ellis has compiled a 504-243 record in 30 years of coaching at Orange High (Calif.), Mesa and Dobson. She has won two state titles (1970, 1990).
Benson has amassed a 189-135-7 record in 37 years of coaching among five high schools including Valley Christian.
Deacon has coached 18 years between Marcos de Niza and Mountain Pointe, posting a 208-80 record in that time.
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