Women's National Team Head Coach Adam Krikorian Named a Finalist for USOC National Coach of the Year
2/9/2011 12:00:00 AM
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) unveiled the finalists for the 2011 USOC Coach of the Year awards today. From the three finalists for National Coach of the Year, Paralympic Coach of the Year, Developmental Coach of the Year, Volunteer Coach of the Year and the "Doc" Councilman Science Award, the recipients in each category will be announced during a dinner on Friday, June 24, as part of the 2011 National Coaching Conference in Colorado Springs, Colo. USA Water Polo's Adam Krikorian was selected as a finalist for National Coach of the Year.
U.S. Olympic and Pan American sports organizations selected their 2010 Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. The finalists in each category were chosen by a panel of coaching and sport education professionals. Information on all finalists can be found HERE.
The 2010 finalists:
National Coach of the Year
Dave Jarrett, Nordic Combined Skiing
Adam Krikorian, Water Polo
Brian Shimer, Bobsled
Paralympic Coach of the Year
Craig Griffin, Cycling
James Gumbert, Wheelchair Rugby
Ray Watkins, Skiing
Developmental Coach of the Year
Bob Gunter, Diving
Barbara Nelson, Basketball
Michael Nyitray, Bowling
Volunteer Coach of the Year
James Coombe, Archery
David Farmer, Rugby
Alex Mathew, Badminton
Doc Counsilman Science Award
Nicholas Bohanan, Bowling
Alberto Salazar, Track & Field
Grant Schaffner, Skeleton
Krikorian, head coach of the USA Water Polo Women's Senior National Team, completed his second consecutive perfect year of major water polo in 2010. The USA Women’s Senior National Team won gold medals at the FINA World League Super Final and the FINA World Cup, sweeping four straight major championships over two seasons – a feat previously unaccomplished in women’s international water polo. The team has posted an 11-1 record in FINA championships, and attacker Brenda Villa (Commerce, CA/Olympic Club) was named MVP of the Super Final while Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, MI/NYAC) was named top goalkeeper at the Super Final.
Krikorian also served as associate head coach of the UCLA men’s water polo team, and he had helped guide Bruins men’s and women’s teams to 14 NCAA titles in his 15 seasons on the staff. He works with USA Water Polo’s junior and youth national teams, as well as the Olympic Development Program, to help identify aspiring Olympians.
The USOC Coach of the Year award was initiated in 1996. The program was developed using the philosophy that, to succeed in Olympic sport, athletes must strive for excellence almost from the moment they begin to compete. At every stage of their careers, coaches empower athletes to rise to the next competitive level of sport. If coaches do their job well, their athletes will ultimately receive the highest accolades for their achievements and become better human beings along the way. The USOC Coaching Committee developed the criteria for each Olympic sports organization to follow in selecting a Coach of the Year in both the elite and developmental categories. The volunteer category was added in 2003.
2011 National Coaching Conference
The 2011 National Coaching Conference will take place in Colorado Springs, Colo., from June 22-25, 2011. Coaches, coach educators and sport science professionals from around the country will gather at the Antlers Hilton hotel in downtown Colorado Springs to share information and ideas. The theme of the 2011 conference is "Educate, Collaborate, Celebrate."
Among the speakers scheduled for the conference: Shellie Pfohl, executive director of the President's Council on Fitness, Sport & Nutrition; Istvan Balyi with the National Coaching Institute in Canada; Robert Chapman, associate director of sports medicine and science for USA Track & Field; Dr. Laurence Chalip, professor of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas; Dr. Patrick Duffy, professor of sport coaching at Leeds Metropolitan University; and ESPN correspondent and author Tom Farrey. Complete information on the conference can be found by clicking HERE or visiting teamusa.org.
Hosted by the USOC, in association with the NCAA, National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), the annual conference focuses on enhancing coaching knowledge and disseminating the latest research, trends and innovations in order to develop beginner to elite athletes for optimum performance. USOC, National Governing Body, university and sport professionals will be presenting on topics based on the National Standards for Sport Coaches (NASPE, 2006) and appropriate for all sports at all competitive levels.
Conference registration is online HERE, with discounted early bird registration available until April 15.
Women's National Team