Source: Union Public Schools, NFHS
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982, honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports (by participation numbers), and in two “other” sports – one for boys and one for girls – that are not included in the top 10 listings. The NFHS also recognizes a spirit coach as a separate award category.
Winners of NFHS awards must be active coaches during the year for which they receive their award. This year’s awards recognize coaches for the 2022-23 school year.
Harris was chosen in the “others” category for girls sports.
“This is a tremendous honor for Gerald, our girls wrestling program and Union Public Schools!” said Emily Barkley, director of Union Athletics.
Union Public Schools Supt. Kirt Hartzler and Associate Superintendent John Federline also commended Harris and his “well-deserved honor.
“That is incredible news,” Federline said. “Congratulations to Coach Harris and his whole staff. Very well deserved!”
In its release, the NFHS said:
“Gerald Harris is off to an amazing start as a girls wrestling coach in Oklahoma. He has coached the winning team in the first three sanctioned Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Girls Wrestling State Championships – the first one at Broken Arrow High School and the last two years at Union High School in Tulsa.
Including his boys state titles at Collinsville High School in 2019 and 2020, Harris has won state wrestling titles in five consecutive years. Harris has won numerous coaching awards, including Oklahoma Coaches Association, Oklahoma Women’s Coaches Association and OSSAA Coach of the Year in 2023. Harris is executive director of
“Wrestle for Equality,” a non-for-profit for girls wrestling and financial assistance, and the Oklahoma representative for “Wrestle Like a Girl,” which seeks to empower girls and women through opportunities in female wrestling.
Harris said he stresses the “importance of the classroom first, because without academics you have nothing regardless of how talented you are. I want that same mentality to carry them through life, keeping their priorities in order and making the world a better place with their presence.”
View the full release here: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/
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