University of North Carolina Athletics
In her 39th season at UNC, Karen Shelton coached the Tar Heels to their eighth NCAA title, the second in a row.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Shelton Honored With USOPC Coaching Award
December 11, 2019 | Field Hockey
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – UNC field hockey coach Karen Shelton has been selected as the recipient of a new award bestowed by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Shelton, who this fall led UNC to its second-straight undefeated season, was announced Tuesday as the 2019 USOPC College Coach of the Year.
The award covers all sports and is presented to a coach at the NCAA level who has worked with their national governing body and made an impact on their sport. The college coaching award is new this year, along with awards for Team USA service providers and coaching educators.
"I'm honored to win the first College Coach of the Year Award from the USOPC," Shelton said. "As a former Olympian and as a college coach, I feel it's so important to work with our national governing body, USA Field Hockey. One reason student-athletes come to UNC because they know we're going to prepare them well to go on and represent the U.S., and over the years we've done that. We're so proud of all the Tar Heels who have gone on to compete at the highest levels internationally and we aim to continue that pipeline."
This year, leading-scorer Erin Matson, a sophomore at Carolina, missed three games while competing as part of the U.S. team at an Olympic Qualifier in India. At the time, Shelton spoke about how the experience was a plus both for Matson, who benefited from the experience she gained on the world stage, and for UNC, as the Tar Heels pulled together and won all three games without their top player in the lineup.
Additional USOPC awards announced were:
• BethAnn Chamberlain (Para Nordic skiing), Developmental Coach of the Year
• Daniel Greene (speedskating), Volunteer Coach of the Year
• Andrew Stuart (speedskating), Doc Counsilman Science Award
• Paul Robbins (tennis), Service Provider of the Year
• Ken Martel (ice hockey), Coach Educator of the Year
The six honorees join KiSik Lee (archery) and Wesley Johnson (paratriathlon), who were recognized last month as Olympic Coach of the Year and Paralympic Coach of the Year as part of the 2019 Team USA Awards presented by Dow, Best of the Year ceremony in Los Angeles.
"It's an honor to recognize the indelible impact these coaches have made on athletes and their sport communities," said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. "Because of their efforts and commitment, athletes of all ages are given the opportunity to thrive, in both sport and in life."
National Governing Bodies nominated their 2019 coaches of the year as part of the USOPC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. Winners were then determined by a USOPC selection panel.
For a list of previous USOPC Coach of the Year Award recipients, visit TeamUSA.org.
College Coach of the Year – Karen Shelton
The USOPC College Coach of the Year is presented to a coach at the NCAA level who has worked with their NGB and made an impact on their sport. Shelton has served as the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1981. In her tenure, she has built one of the country's finest field hockey programs and is the first female coach at UNC to have a playing facility named in her honor. She has led UNC to national prominence highlighted by eight NCAA championships, 24 final four appearances, 22 Atlantic Coast Conference championships and 37 winning seasons. The 2019 season was one of the best in program history in which the Tar Heels went undefeated, 23-0, for the second straight year and claimed the program's eighth national title. She owns a career record of 692-164-9 and ranks second in NCAA history in both wins and championships.
Service Provider of the Year – Paul Robbins
The USOPC Service Provider of the Year is presented to a Team USA specialist in the areas of nutrition, physiology, psychology, sports medicine, and strength and conditioning who has made a significant impact on American athletes and USOPC member organizations. Robbins played an instrumental role in implementing and validating the fatigue index as part of the United States Tennis Association's larger collaboration with IBM. He has educated coaches and provided guidance how the they should be adjusting athletes' practice schedules and recovery based on this fatigue index. Additionally, he is assisting USTA in selecting wearable technology providers and continues to guide best-in-class athlete management systems as the USTA explores new platforms.
Coach Educator of the Year – Ken Martel
The USOPC Coach Educator of the Year is presented to a Team USA mentor who has furthered athletes and sport by promoting the ideals of the American Development Model. Under Martel's direction, USA Hockey originated the ADM program in 2009. In 2019, USA Hockey saw the largest number of American-born and ADM-trained players selected in the first round of the NHL draft, exemplifying the vast impact of ADM. His efforts to promote collaboration between the USOPC, NGBs and other sport organizations has helped grow ADM across the country, benefiting athletes of all ages, skills and abilities and changing the American sport experience for the better
Developmental Coach of the Year – BethAnn Chamberlain
The Developmental Coach of the Year is presented to a coach at the youth club, high school or junior level, or a coach who is directly responsible for training athletes to reach the junior and/or elite level. Chamberlain has been pivotal to the high-performance success of the U.S. Paralympic Nordic Ski Team, mentoring two current national team members – including two-time Paralympic gold medalist Kendall Gretsch. During the 2018-19 season, she was tasked with identifying young skiers in the standing and visually impaired classifications, prompting a nationwide strategy to recruit and develop new skiers. Through outreach to and collaboration with Shriners Hospital for Children, local ski clubs and adaptive sport organizations, she is responsible for the introduction of 250 beginners to the sport – including 110 children. She worked with 40 clubs to host events and provided coaching support to dozens of new coaches and guides. Her efforts led to an unprecedented number of standing and visually impaired athletes – exceeding more than the previous quad – with great potential for the future.
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Daniel Greene
The Volunteer Coach of the Year is presented to a coach who does not receive payment in any form for their involvement in coaching at any level. A volunteer coach at the Madison Speedskating Club, Greene has demonstrated commitment and passion for speedskating that has elevated both his athletes and club to the next level. After enduring a stroke in 2018, Greene became a certified US Speedskating coach in less than six months. He teaches athletes how to build tailored roadmaps for success and goes beyond to make speedskating accessible by donating equipment to help skaters achieve their goals. Last year, Greene's club saw seven skaters compete in their first meet, 10 compete at regional competitions and eight qualify for the age-class short track national championships. He strives to provide resources to up-and-coming clubs to help build and sustain the sport in the Midwest and across the U.S.
Doc Counsilman Science Award – Andrew Stuart
The Doc Counsilman Science Award recognizes a coach who utilizes scientific techniques and equipment as an integral part of their coaching methods or has created innovative ways to use sport science. Stuart utilized the Dynamic Strength Index to better understand a speedskater's ability and form in slow versus fast applications. He used data to obtain an index number with the aim of improving an athlete's overall rate of force development – a key marker of success for speedskaters. As a result of program modification driven by the DSI, US Speedskating has witnessed several significantly improved on-ice performances. Stuart's usage of DSI has changed the way US Speedskating evaluates strength and power, and the program anticipates continued improvement from the ground-breaking methodology.
The award covers all sports and is presented to a coach at the NCAA level who has worked with their national governing body and made an impact on their sport. The college coaching award is new this year, along with awards for Team USA service providers and coaching educators.
"I'm honored to win the first College Coach of the Year Award from the USOPC," Shelton said. "As a former Olympian and as a college coach, I feel it's so important to work with our national governing body, USA Field Hockey. One reason student-athletes come to UNC because they know we're going to prepare them well to go on and represent the U.S., and over the years we've done that. We're so proud of all the Tar Heels who have gone on to compete at the highest levels internationally and we aim to continue that pipeline."
This year, leading-scorer Erin Matson, a sophomore at Carolina, missed three games while competing as part of the U.S. team at an Olympic Qualifier in India. At the time, Shelton spoke about how the experience was a plus both for Matson, who benefited from the experience she gained on the world stage, and for UNC, as the Tar Heels pulled together and won all three games without their top player in the lineup.
Additional USOPC awards announced were:
• BethAnn Chamberlain (Para Nordic skiing), Developmental Coach of the Year
• Daniel Greene (speedskating), Volunteer Coach of the Year
• Andrew Stuart (speedskating), Doc Counsilman Science Award
• Paul Robbins (tennis), Service Provider of the Year
• Ken Martel (ice hockey), Coach Educator of the Year
The six honorees join KiSik Lee (archery) and Wesley Johnson (paratriathlon), who were recognized last month as Olympic Coach of the Year and Paralympic Coach of the Year as part of the 2019 Team USA Awards presented by Dow, Best of the Year ceremony in Los Angeles.
"It's an honor to recognize the indelible impact these coaches have made on athletes and their sport communities," said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. "Because of their efforts and commitment, athletes of all ages are given the opportunity to thrive, in both sport and in life."
National Governing Bodies nominated their 2019 coaches of the year as part of the USOPC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. Winners were then determined by a USOPC selection panel.
For a list of previous USOPC Coach of the Year Award recipients, visit TeamUSA.org.
College Coach of the Year – Karen Shelton
The USOPC College Coach of the Year is presented to a coach at the NCAA level who has worked with their NGB and made an impact on their sport. Shelton has served as the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1981. In her tenure, she has built one of the country's finest field hockey programs and is the first female coach at UNC to have a playing facility named in her honor. She has led UNC to national prominence highlighted by eight NCAA championships, 24 final four appearances, 22 Atlantic Coast Conference championships and 37 winning seasons. The 2019 season was one of the best in program history in which the Tar Heels went undefeated, 23-0, for the second straight year and claimed the program's eighth national title. She owns a career record of 692-164-9 and ranks second in NCAA history in both wins and championships.
Service Provider of the Year – Paul Robbins
The USOPC Service Provider of the Year is presented to a Team USA specialist in the areas of nutrition, physiology, psychology, sports medicine, and strength and conditioning who has made a significant impact on American athletes and USOPC member organizations. Robbins played an instrumental role in implementing and validating the fatigue index as part of the United States Tennis Association's larger collaboration with IBM. He has educated coaches and provided guidance how the they should be adjusting athletes' practice schedules and recovery based on this fatigue index. Additionally, he is assisting USTA in selecting wearable technology providers and continues to guide best-in-class athlete management systems as the USTA explores new platforms.
Coach Educator of the Year – Ken Martel
The USOPC Coach Educator of the Year is presented to a Team USA mentor who has furthered athletes and sport by promoting the ideals of the American Development Model. Under Martel's direction, USA Hockey originated the ADM program in 2009. In 2019, USA Hockey saw the largest number of American-born and ADM-trained players selected in the first round of the NHL draft, exemplifying the vast impact of ADM. His efforts to promote collaboration between the USOPC, NGBs and other sport organizations has helped grow ADM across the country, benefiting athletes of all ages, skills and abilities and changing the American sport experience for the better
Developmental Coach of the Year – BethAnn Chamberlain
The Developmental Coach of the Year is presented to a coach at the youth club, high school or junior level, or a coach who is directly responsible for training athletes to reach the junior and/or elite level. Chamberlain has been pivotal to the high-performance success of the U.S. Paralympic Nordic Ski Team, mentoring two current national team members – including two-time Paralympic gold medalist Kendall Gretsch. During the 2018-19 season, she was tasked with identifying young skiers in the standing and visually impaired classifications, prompting a nationwide strategy to recruit and develop new skiers. Through outreach to and collaboration with Shriners Hospital for Children, local ski clubs and adaptive sport organizations, she is responsible for the introduction of 250 beginners to the sport – including 110 children. She worked with 40 clubs to host events and provided coaching support to dozens of new coaches and guides. Her efforts led to an unprecedented number of standing and visually impaired athletes – exceeding more than the previous quad – with great potential for the future.
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Daniel Greene
The Volunteer Coach of the Year is presented to a coach who does not receive payment in any form for their involvement in coaching at any level. A volunteer coach at the Madison Speedskating Club, Greene has demonstrated commitment and passion for speedskating that has elevated both his athletes and club to the next level. After enduring a stroke in 2018, Greene became a certified US Speedskating coach in less than six months. He teaches athletes how to build tailored roadmaps for success and goes beyond to make speedskating accessible by donating equipment to help skaters achieve their goals. Last year, Greene's club saw seven skaters compete in their first meet, 10 compete at regional competitions and eight qualify for the age-class short track national championships. He strives to provide resources to up-and-coming clubs to help build and sustain the sport in the Midwest and across the U.S.
Doc Counsilman Science Award – Andrew Stuart
The Doc Counsilman Science Award recognizes a coach who utilizes scientific techniques and equipment as an integral part of their coaching methods or has created innovative ways to use sport science. Stuart utilized the Dynamic Strength Index to better understand a speedskater's ability and form in slow versus fast applications. He used data to obtain an index number with the aim of improving an athlete's overall rate of force development – a key marker of success for speedskaters. As a result of program modification driven by the DSI, US Speedskating has witnessed several significantly improved on-ice performances. Stuart's usage of DSI has changed the way US Speedskating evaluates strength and power, and the program anticipates continued improvement from the ground-breaking methodology.
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