By MARY ROBERSON
Sheridan Community Schools
Sheridan Girls Soccer Coach Brian Prange was recently awarded the 2023 Region Coach of the Year for the Central Region.
Prange was first nominated by the local district to the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association for this prestigious award. The Association then chose the State Coach of the Year from all the District coaches that were selected. This is the same group that votes for players who make the All-State team.
Prange was selected as the Indiana Small School Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year. As the state representative, he then had the opportunity to submit his resume and answer questions from the United Soccer Coaches Association. There are 12 states in the region, and Prange was selected Region Coach of the Year for the Central Region.
“Coach Prange, his staff, and our student-athletes have put in a tremendous amount of work to turn our girls soccer program into one that is well respected throughout our state,” Sheridan High School Athletic Director Beth DeVinney said. “I am very proud of Coach Prange and our entire Soccer program. His hard work and dedication have made all the difference in our success.”
Prange received this award on Jan. 12 in Anaheim, Calif., at the United Soccer Coaches Annual Conference. In addition to receiving the award at the conference, he was able to attend sessions and clinics on coaching techniques, drills, team leadership, and strategy.
Seeing the award as a great privilege, Prange said, “I have been coaching soccer for over twenty years and to be awarded for something that I am so passionate about is humbling. To be recognized as a premier coach among so many of my coaching colleagues is very honorable.”
He went on to give credit to his players, coaches, and school.
“All the teams that I have coached in the past and present have had a big part of this award,” Prange said. “I am proud to be a coach at Sheridan High School. Sheridan has a deep history in sports in Hamilton County. I have had the opportunity and privilege to start both the girls’ and boys’ soccer programs at Sheridan High School. It is very gratifying that our 1A school has received recognition for our program. It is a real testament to the strength of the program.”
Prange ended by giving appreciation to the administration and community.
“Without everyone working together, this could not have happened,” Prange said.