January, 2005
2004 USA Archery Coaches of the Year Announced
Copy used by permission from USA Archery - The official website
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
USA Archery is pleased to announce the selections for 2004 Coach of the Year Awards. Each year the NAA Coach Development Committee accepts nominations for coach of the year awards for individuals who have distinguished themselves as outstanding coaches and have provided dedicated service to the sport and to USA Archery.
The National Coach of the Year distinction has been awarded to Alexander Kirillov (Tucson, Ariz.). Alexander is an NAA Level 4 coach who has an impressive record of success in training archers. Most notably, Alexander coaches Jennifer Nichols, the #1 ranked female Recurve archer in the U.S. and a member of the 2004 Olympic Team. Several other archers under Alexander's guidance have reached National or Jr. National team status and have won medals in National and International events. After coming to the United States from the Russia in 1994, where he was the USSR National Team Coach, Alexander acquired a position with Precision Shooting Equipment. In addition to his duties as the PSE Shooting School Coach, Alexander also works with local schools, 4-H clubs, Boys & Girls Scouts, local college classes and has performed over 100 archery seminars in the U.S. and internationally.
The Developmental Coach of the Year award goes to Larry Skinner (Moberly, Mo.). Larry is an NAA Level 4 coach and has been coaching archers for over 20 years. Larry is the personal coach for Vic Wunderle, the top ranked U.S. male Recurve archer. As a member of the 2004 Olympic Team, Vic was the highest finisher among U.S. archers in Athens. In 2000, Vic was an individual silver and team bronze medallist at the Olympic Games in Sidney. Vic attributes much of his development and success to his coach and in recent years, Larry has been working with other junior, collegiate and senior level archers that have also been successful. Larry is very dedicated to the sport of archery and is always willing to serve in any capacity, whether it is in camps, seminars, team trips or helping individual archers to improve.
The Volunteer Coaches of the Year honors have been awarded to Jim and Anita Krueger (Blessing, Texas). Jim and Anita coach youth archery in a rural area of Southeast Texas and in the last 17 years the husband and wife team has produced some superbly talented archers. Jim and Anita have demonstrated time and again that they are able to take young students, introduce them to archery, and then develop them into national and internationally ranked athletes. Their program has become a significant part of the USA Archery pipeline and their passion for the sport and their selfless dedication to archers clearly demonstrates the true spirit of volunteerism.
