Thirty-four-year-old head football coach at Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan and Woonsocket graduate, Jeff VanLeur, was voted best football coach in South Dakota and has moved on to the final round of national competition after winning the regional competition in USA Today’s Best Football Coach contest. He now goes up against the winners of seven other regions for the title.
The Seahawks head coach has five 9AA state titles and a 218-105 record to his credit after 34 years as head coach.
The competition was open to voting from the public until Oct. 29. VanLeur gives credit to his fans for getting this far in the competition. “We have had great success here and the fans are very supportive,” he says.
The winner of the national competition will receive $2,000 for his athletic department and a banner for his school.