Butler High's Brian Hales named nat'l HS football coach of the year

From Observer reports

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee has announced Brian Hales from Butler High School in Matthews, N.C. as the 2013 Xenith National Coach of the Year. The award honors the Nation’s top high school football coach, recognizing exceptional coaching abilities and leadership skills as well as serving as a positive influence to the youth of America on and off the field.

“The Army is strong because of the incredible leaders it recruits and develops,” said Mark Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Marketing and Director of the Army Marketing and Research Group. “Coach Hales exemplifies similar leadership strengths and provides invaluable guidance to his players both on and off the field. We congratulate Coach Hales on his achievements and for being recognized as the Coach of the Year.”

Coach Hales will receive the Yoast Award, named after the legendary Coach Bill Yoast, who along with Coach Herman Boone was immortalized in the movie “Remember the Titans.”

Coaches are nominated and selected by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee. Bob Beatty of Trinity High School, Louisville, Ky., was the winner of the 2012 National Coach of the Year award. Other nominees this year included: Claude Mathis from DeSoto High School in DeSoto Texas, J.T. Curtis from Curtis High School in River Ridge La., Butch Goncharoff from Bellevue High School in Bellevue Wash., Mike Jinks from Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas and Joe Kinnan from Manatee High School in Bradenton, Fla.