END OF YEAR AWARDS — Time to vote for coach of the year

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

VOTING HAS NOW CLOSED

By Ray Hamill — As with all of the categories for our end-of-year awards, our coach of the year features several worthy candidates who left their mark on local sports in 2021.

A good coach not only puts his or her athletes in a position to succeed, but also teaches them valuable life lessons that will help them succeed long after their time together.

And it’s safe to say all of our nominees do that and more.

Readers can vote up to once a day and the winner will be announced on New Year’s eve.

Here then are the nominations for the 2021 HumboldtSports.com Coach of the Year …

Reggie Christiansen — The Humboldt County native led Sac State to a ninth straight 30-win season in baseball, the longest active streak among all Div. I programs in California, while also earning the program a first-ever top-25 national ranking.

Ryan Colegrove — Guided the Hoopa girls to an undefeated season in softball.

Sarah Fox — The Eureka High softball head coach guided the Loggers to an undefeated spring season.

Troy Ghisetti — The Arcata baseball coach is one of the most consistently successful North Coast head coaches in any sport.

Jeff Giacomini — Led the Loggers to an unofficial Big 5 championship in baseball this past spring.

Laurie Griffith — Had a great year with Arcata volleyball, both in the spring and in the fall, winning the Big 5 with a young rooster in the latter.

Onawa Gutierrez and Sheldon Heath — The Arcata tennis coaches are coming off yet another hugely successful year in boys and girls tennis.

Janet Harwood — The Fortuna JV volleyball coach is widely respected by her players.

Jamal Jones — Led the Tigers to a hugely successful season in football this fall.

Tommy Learmouth — Led Eureka girls soccer to an undefeated season in the spring and followed that by winning an NCS championship with a very different lineup in the fall.

Andy Olsen — Guided the Fortuna Huskies to a breakout season in baseball.

Dusty Scofield — Led the Arcata Tigers to an undefeated spring season in boys basketball.

Patrick Stranahan — Guided the Arcata girls to their first league title in soccer in five years.

Matt Tomlin — The multi-sport St. Bernard’s coach continues to enjoy incredible success in football and baseball, and also coached girls basketball this year.

James Washington — The legendary Arcata cross country and track and field coach is showing no signs of slowing down.

Nick White — The Del Norte football coach has quickly established himself as one of the best in the area.