2024 AAU Coach of the Year Awards
08/09/2024
The 2024 AAU Club and Coach of the Year Awards were presented at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Greensboro, North Carolina
GREENSBORO, N.C. (August 9, 2024) -- The 2024 AAU Club and Coach of the Year Awards were presented at the 2024 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Greensboro, North Carolina. As the AAU Track and Field season came to an end, we got the chance to celebrate some of our coaches who dedicate their time to our athletes!
This year's awards were preseneted by AAU Junior Olympic Games Chair, Lewis Fellinger and two-time AAU Coach of the Year, Nicole Lincoln.
Thank you to all of our coaches, volunteers, and club directors who made this season special. Every volunteer that takes the time to better our sport and our athletes deserve recognition and praise. You are continually setting up our athletes for succes in the future in and outside of the sport.
Below are the awards for 2024:
2024 AAU Zone Club of the Year award is a recognition of the outstanding development of Youth athletes. We thank each and everyone one of you who contributed to this selection. We are proud to announce our Zone Club winners as one of them has been selected for the National Club of the Year Award.
Club Awards
Zone A Club of the Year recipient has athletes named as Extraordinary Teens by Prince William Living Magazine, received the Charity of the Year and Knights of Columbus awards, has community partnership with Tropical Smoothie, listed as one of the Top 100 Clubs by Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), partnered with (2) sports medicine facilities for injury prevention, actively engage with AAU Track and Field accounts on social media to bring awareness, awarded (4) book scholarships to graduating seniors. Out of Virginia, the 2024 Zone A Club of the Year goes to Dale City Track Club.
Zone B Club of the Year recipient has over 100 athletes training and participating in meets to dominate in the 2023 Summer and Fall seasons, had several members who competed at national events, hosted two local meets in May and in July, enjoys competing annually where their athletes can showcase their talent, encourage athletes to eat healthy year round, and enlisted a full time Physical Therapist who makes himself available to athletes on and off the field. Out of Alabama, the 2024 Zone B Club of the Year goes to Parker Track Club.
Zone C Club of the Year recipient has 20+ years as an AAU club, teaching the fundamentals of track and field, recreation, nutrition, sportsmanship, and self-esteem building, surpasses the traditional notion of a track club and embodies the essence of a tightly-knit family, motivates youths of Rockford, Illinois and surrounding areas, has hosted countless AAU district, regional track and cross country meets, received numerous awards from the City of Rockford for outstanding track and field programming and community involvement, has a mentoring program to keep teens working during summer and winter breaks. Out of Illinois, the 2024 Zone C Club of the Year goes to Rockford FIRE Track Club.
Zone D Club of the Year recipient gives athletes an opportunity to compete against the very best competition and travel to National events, has Outdoor and Indoor All-Americans with athletes competing on a collegiate level, is dedicated to inspiring and engaging area youth to become active through the sport of running, and provides a positive experience while pushing athletes to be the best version of themselves every day! Out of California, the 2024 Zone D Club of the Year goes to 10 East Track and Field.
And the 2024 National Club of the Year goes to Rockford FIRE Track Club out of Rockford, Illinois.
Coach Awards
2024 AAU Zone Coach of the Year award is in recognition of the outstanding coaching of Youth athletes. We received many nominations and we thank each and everyone one of you who contributed to this selection. We are proud to announce our Zone winners as one of them has been selected for the National Coach of the Year Award.
Zone A Coach of the Year recipient continues to produce elite and all-American athletes, works tirelessly in the Southern Maryland area to recruit more staff and expand his team which grew from 25 to 75 members in one year, was awarded the Maryland AAU Outstanding Coach Award, the Charles County Commissioner Recognition Award, and the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Regional Coach of the Year award. Off the track, this recipient has worked to secure scholarships for families who cannot afford private school tuition; in addition, to establishing a math support program for his athletes offering one-on-one and group tutoring. Founder of Southern Sprinters Elite Track and Field Club, out of Maryland, the 2024 Zone A Coach of the Year is awarded to Rohan Phipps.
Zone B Coach of the Year recipient has 20+ years of coaching who always speaks positively teaching the PMA (positive mental attitude), has coached athletes to win national championships as well as All American Honors on all different levels, received numerous awards like the 2022 Southeast Regional Coach of the Year, City Proclamations from the mayor of Columbus, Georgia and the mayor of Phenix, Alabama, the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Award, and the Double Gold Regional Coach of the Year award, has added 45 new AAU memberships to his roster this year, loves to promote the AAU brand by wearing AAU gear daily for visual effect (his motto: if they can see it, they can be it). Head coach of Tri City Striders Youth Track, out of Alabama, the 2024 Zone B Coach of the Year is awarded to Spivey Green.
Zone C Coach of the Year recipient is an amazing Coach, Father, and Husband, became the head coach of Elgin Sharks Track Club to help continue the Elgin Sharks’s legacy in honor of Coach Pleticha who dedicated his life to the team, worked to develop a successful sprints program - a game changer as Elgin Sharks are known for distance runners and race walkers, was awarded the AAU Central District Coach of the Year award, out of Illinois, the 2024 Zone C Coach of the Year is awarded to Kenney Nally.
Zone D Coach of the Year recipient has been coaching for over 10 years, has athletes place regularly in the top 8 and on the awards podium, built the respect and rapport with teams and athletes in Southern California area, helped countless athletes make All-American status in both Indoor and outdoor season, trains in rain or shine at a local all-weather track, and has been a big supporter of AAU since 2015 with all three of his daughters being AAU strong, out of California, the 2024 Zone D Coach of the Year is awarded to Demetrius Wilson.
And the 2024 National Coach of the Year goes to, Spivey Green!
The Mary Sparn Official of the Year Award is in recognition of outstanding service as an AAU official. The 2024 recipient is Gary Morgan. Gary started as an AAU athlete in 1976 where he placed 16th out of 17th in the one mile race walk. His determination in race walking earned him national and Olympic status – he even carried the Olympic Torch in 1996 and 2002. His first officiating job in 2003 was at the AAU Junior Olympics at Eastern Michigan University. This year makes 21 years officiating at the AAU track and field events. Gary could not make it today as he is in Paris for the Olympics Games.
He graciously accepts this award and would like to say “AAU changed my life forever by competing and officiating at the Junior Olympics. It left an identifiable impression on me that has lasted a lifetime. Thank You AAU!”
This year's awards were preseneted by AAU Junior Olympic Games Chair, Lewis Fellinger and two-time AAU Coach of the Year, Nicole Lincoln.
Thank you to all of our coaches, volunteers, and club directors who made this season special. Every volunteer that takes the time to better our sport and our athletes deserve recognition and praise. You are continually setting up our athletes for succes in the future in and outside of the sport.
Below are the awards for 2024:
2024 AAU Zone Club of the Year award is a recognition of the outstanding development of Youth athletes. We thank each and everyone one of you who contributed to this selection. We are proud to announce our Zone Club winners as one of them has been selected for the National Club of the Year Award.
Club Awards
Zone A Club of the Year recipient has athletes named as Extraordinary Teens by Prince William Living Magazine, received the Charity of the Year and Knights of Columbus awards, has community partnership with Tropical Smoothie, listed as one of the Top 100 Clubs by Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), partnered with (2) sports medicine facilities for injury prevention, actively engage with AAU Track and Field accounts on social media to bring awareness, awarded (4) book scholarships to graduating seniors. Out of Virginia, the 2024 Zone A Club of the Year goes to Dale City Track Club.
Zone B Club of the Year recipient has over 100 athletes training and participating in meets to dominate in the 2023 Summer and Fall seasons, had several members who competed at national events, hosted two local meets in May and in July, enjoys competing annually where their athletes can showcase their talent, encourage athletes to eat healthy year round, and enlisted a full time Physical Therapist who makes himself available to athletes on and off the field. Out of Alabama, the 2024 Zone B Club of the Year goes to Parker Track Club.
Zone C Club of the Year recipient has 20+ years as an AAU club, teaching the fundamentals of track and field, recreation, nutrition, sportsmanship, and self-esteem building, surpasses the traditional notion of a track club and embodies the essence of a tightly-knit family, motivates youths of Rockford, Illinois and surrounding areas, has hosted countless AAU district, regional track and cross country meets, received numerous awards from the City of Rockford for outstanding track and field programming and community involvement, has a mentoring program to keep teens working during summer and winter breaks. Out of Illinois, the 2024 Zone C Club of the Year goes to Rockford FIRE Track Club.
Zone D Club of the Year recipient gives athletes an opportunity to compete against the very best competition and travel to National events, has Outdoor and Indoor All-Americans with athletes competing on a collegiate level, is dedicated to inspiring and engaging area youth to become active through the sport of running, and provides a positive experience while pushing athletes to be the best version of themselves every day! Out of California, the 2024 Zone D Club of the Year goes to 10 East Track and Field.
And the 2024 National Club of the Year goes to Rockford FIRE Track Club out of Rockford, Illinois.
Coach Awards
2024 AAU Zone Coach of the Year award is in recognition of the outstanding coaching of Youth athletes. We received many nominations and we thank each and everyone one of you who contributed to this selection. We are proud to announce our Zone winners as one of them has been selected for the National Coach of the Year Award.
Zone A Coach of the Year recipient continues to produce elite and all-American athletes, works tirelessly in the Southern Maryland area to recruit more staff and expand his team which grew from 25 to 75 members in one year, was awarded the Maryland AAU Outstanding Coach Award, the Charles County Commissioner Recognition Award, and the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Regional Coach of the Year award. Off the track, this recipient has worked to secure scholarships for families who cannot afford private school tuition; in addition, to establishing a math support program for his athletes offering one-on-one and group tutoring. Founder of Southern Sprinters Elite Track and Field Club, out of Maryland, the 2024 Zone A Coach of the Year is awarded to Rohan Phipps.
Zone B Coach of the Year recipient has 20+ years of coaching who always speaks positively teaching the PMA (positive mental attitude), has coached athletes to win national championships as well as All American Honors on all different levels, received numerous awards like the 2022 Southeast Regional Coach of the Year, City Proclamations from the mayor of Columbus, Georgia and the mayor of Phenix, Alabama, the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Award, and the Double Gold Regional Coach of the Year award, has added 45 new AAU memberships to his roster this year, loves to promote the AAU brand by wearing AAU gear daily for visual effect (his motto: if they can see it, they can be it). Head coach of Tri City Striders Youth Track, out of Alabama, the 2024 Zone B Coach of the Year is awarded to Spivey Green.
Zone C Coach of the Year recipient is an amazing Coach, Father, and Husband, became the head coach of Elgin Sharks Track Club to help continue the Elgin Sharks’s legacy in honor of Coach Pleticha who dedicated his life to the team, worked to develop a successful sprints program - a game changer as Elgin Sharks are known for distance runners and race walkers, was awarded the AAU Central District Coach of the Year award, out of Illinois, the 2024 Zone C Coach of the Year is awarded to Kenney Nally.
Zone D Coach of the Year recipient has been coaching for over 10 years, has athletes place regularly in the top 8 and on the awards podium, built the respect and rapport with teams and athletes in Southern California area, helped countless athletes make All-American status in both Indoor and outdoor season, trains in rain or shine at a local all-weather track, and has been a big supporter of AAU since 2015 with all three of his daughters being AAU strong, out of California, the 2024 Zone D Coach of the Year is awarded to Demetrius Wilson.
And the 2024 National Coach of the Year goes to, Spivey Green!
The Mary Sparn Official of the Year Award is in recognition of outstanding service as an AAU official. The 2024 recipient is Gary Morgan. Gary started as an AAU athlete in 1976 where he placed 16th out of 17th in the one mile race walk. His determination in race walking earned him national and Olympic status – he even carried the Olympic Torch in 1996 and 2002. His first officiating job in 2003 was at the AAU Junior Olympics at Eastern Michigan University. This year makes 21 years officiating at the AAU track and field events. Gary could not make it today as he is in Paris for the Olympics Games.
He graciously accepts this award and would like to say “AAU changed my life forever by competing and officiating at the Junior Olympics. It left an identifiable impression on me that has lasted a lifetime. Thank You AAU!”
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