ELOY BRAZIL OF MAXWELL AND GENE VICTOR OF CIBOLA RECOGNIZED BY NFHS AS NATIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR
Indianapolis, IN – Twenty-three high school coaches from across the country have been selected as 2017 National Coaches of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association.
The 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 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 2016-2017 school year.
Two of New Mexico’s own, Eloy Brazil of Maxwell High School and Gene Victor of Cibola High School, were selected by the NFHS as National Coaches of the Year for 2017.
Coach Brazil took the award for boys basketball while Coach Victor was selected for softball. Coach Brazil is in his 40th year as a head boys basketball coach. He spent 17 years at Cimarron High School, 16 at Springer High School, and is now in his 7th year at Maxwell High School. His record going in to 2017-2018 was 558-313 and he has won a total of four state championships – one at Cimarron, two at Springer, and his most recent in 2017 at Maxwell. Coach Victor has been the leader of the Cibola Cougars’ softball program for the last 34 years. During this time, he has amassed over 500 wins (509-283) and three state titles – a “three-peat” from 2007-2009. He also led the Cougars to a state runner-up finish in 2013. Coach Brazil and Coach Victor are two of only eight New Mexico coaches that have been selected by the NFHS as National Coaches of the Year.
A complete listing of NFHS national coach of the year awards can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.nfhs.org/CoachAwards/Search.aspx
For additional information pertaining to this announcement, please contact Dusty Young, NMAA Associate Director at (505) 977-5385 or dusty@nmact.org.
