5 High School Coaches Earn AFCA Regional Power Of Influence Award Honors
December 17, 2020
Five of the best high school head coaches in the nation highlight today’s announcement of the 2020 Regional Power of Influence Award winners. This award is given jointly by the American Football Coaches Association® and the American Football Coaches Foundation®. These winners will be honored during a virtual AFCA Convention, which will be held on January 12-14, 2021.
This is the second year that the AFCA has recognized regional winners for the Power of Influence Award. The award was created as a way for the AFCA® and AFCF® to honor deserving high school football coaches. Coaches who receive this award are recognized for their impact on their team, as well as the legacy they leave with the school and surrounding community. This award is not based on wins and losses; however, it should be noted that coaches of powerful influence have longevity and success. The winners are selected by members of the AFCF Board of Directors.
RELATED ARTICLE: Lenape Valley’s Don Smolyn Receives 2020 AFCA Power Of Influence Award
2020 AFCA/AFCF Regional Power of Influence Award winners are: Region 1: Don Smolyn, Lenape Valley Regional (N.J.) High School; Region 2: Terry Curtis, UMS-Wright Preparatory (Ala.) School; Region 3: Jake Gilbert, Westfield (Ind.) High School; Region 4: Bill Blankenship, Owasso (Okla.) High School; and Region 5: Tim Brennan, Bishop Kelly (Idaho) High School.
Don Smolyn has been the head coach at Lenape Valley Regional High School for 46 years and has produced 348 victories, which makes him the active wins leader in the state of New Jersey. He has guided Lenape Valley to seven state championships and 12 conference titles and also served as athletics director for 26 years. Through his personal efforts, Smolyn has helped raise over $150,000 to improve the facilities at Lenape Valley and was instrumental in getting Girl’s Soccer, Ice Hockey and Boy’s and Girl’s Lacrosse added to the athletic program. Smolyn also uses his platform to help raise funds for Breast Cancer, Pediatric Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer research. He is a member of five Halls of Fame and has won numerous national and state coach of the year honors.
Terry Curtis has been the head coach at UMS-Wright Preparatory School (Ala.) for 22 years. Prior to his current stint, he was the head coach at Murphy (Ala.) High School from 1993-98, and at Shaw (Ala.) High School from 1989-92. Curtis has an overall record of 325-90 with eight state championships. He has a playoff record of 77-21 and has guided UMS-Wright to at least the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs in 19 of his 22 years. He currently serves as president of the Alabama Football Coaches Association and serves on the Alabama High School Association’s governing body. Curtis was a founding member of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and has been chair of the selection committee for over 30 years. He is a member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Mobile County Hall of Fame and the UMS-Wright Hall of Fame, to name a few. Curtis has also won multiple Coach of the Year awards in Alabama.
Jake Gilbert completed his 10th season as head coach at Westfield High School by leading the Rocks to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the Indiana High School 6A state championship game. That was Westfield’s third appearance in the state championship game under Gilbert. In 2016, he guided Westfield to the school’s first ever state championship. Gilbert has won several Coach of the Year honors including Indiana Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2016 and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Indiana Coach of the Year in 2017. He has been an FCA sponsor since 2012 and created a Freshman Mentor Program and Life Ready Initiative at Westfield. Gilbert has hosted Special Olympic football clinics, raised money to tackle childhood cancer, led a mission trip to Haiti and helps support the Indiana Blood Center.
Bill Blankenship is an Oklahoma High School football coaching legend. He finished his fourth season at Owasso High School by leading the Rams to a 12-1 overall record and an appearance in the Class 6A semi-finals. Since arriving in 2017 as head coach, Blankenship has led Owasso to two state championships and two semi-final appearances. Prior to Owasso, Blankenship was the head coach at Fayetteville (Ark.) High School in 2016, guiding the Bulldogs to a Class 7A state title with a 12-1 record. He spent nine years as a college coach at Tulsa and Memphis. From 2011-2014, he was the head coach at Tulsa, leading the Golden Hurricanes to two bowl games and a Conference USA title in 2012. Blankenship earned his Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame induction for what he achieved at Union High School in Tulsa. In his 14 seasons as head coach, Union won 154 games, made seven state championship game appearances and won the 6A state championship three times. Blankenship is very involved with the Oklahoma Coaches Association Board and Oklahoma Football Coaches Association and has served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Tim Brennan has racked up on overall record of 225-79 in his 29 years as a head coach, with the last 25 coming at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho. He has led the Knights to six state championships, 11 league championships and four undefeated seasons. Brennan has won numerous awards over his career including six Idaho State Coach of the Year honors and the Hugh Brady Award in 2018 for outstanding service and dedication to the Idaho State Coaches Association and the youth of Idaho. He has served as vice president and president of the Idaho State Coaches Association and has been a board member of the Idaho Third District Coaches Association for 32 years.
The AFCA will announce the 2020 National Power of Influence Award winner during the virtual AFCA Convention on January 12-14, 2021. The Regional winners are finalists for the national Power of Influence Award.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out insider.afca.com and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Five of the best high school head coaches in the nation highlight today’s announcement of the 2020 Regional Power of Influence Award winners. This award is given jointly by the American Football Coaches Association® and the American Football Coaches Foundation®. These winners will be honored during a virtual AFCA Convention, which will be held on January 12-14, 2021.
This is the second year that the AFCA has recognized regional winners for the Power of Influence Award. The award was created as a way for the AFCA® and AFCF® to honor deserving high school football coaches. Coaches who receive this award are recognized for their impact on their team, as well as the legacy they leave with the school and surrounding community. This award is not based on wins and losses; however, it should be noted that coaches of powerful influence have longevity and success. The winners are selected by members of the AFCF Board of Directors.
RELATED ARTICLE: Lenape Valley’s Don Smolyn Receives 2020 AFCA Power Of Influence Award
2020 AFCA/AFCF Regional Power of Influence Award winners are: Region 1: Don Smolyn, Lenape Valley Regional (N.J.) High School; Region 2: Terry Curtis, UMS-Wright Preparatory (Ala.) School; Region 3: Jake Gilbert, Westfield (Ind.) High School; Region 4: Bill Blankenship, Owasso (Okla.) High School; and Region 5: Tim Brennan, Bishop Kelly (Idaho) High School.
Don Smolyn has been the head coach at Lenape Valley Regional High School for 46 years and has produced 348 victories, which makes him the active wins leader in the state of New Jersey. He has guided Lenape Valley to seven state championships and 12 conference titles and also served as athletics director for 26 years. Through his personal efforts, Smolyn has helped raise over $150,000 to improve the facilities at Lenape Valley and was instrumental in getting Girl’s Soccer, Ice Hockey and Boy’s and Girl’s Lacrosse added to the athletic program. Smolyn also uses his platform to help raise funds for Breast Cancer, Pediatric Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer research. He is a member of five Halls of Fame and has won numerous national and state coach of the year honors.
Terry Curtis has been the head coach at UMS-Wright Preparatory School (Ala.) for 22 years. Prior to his current stint, he was the head coach at Murphy (Ala.) High School from 1993-98, and at Shaw (Ala.) High School from 1989-92. Curtis has an overall record of 325-90 with eight state championships. He has a playoff record of 77-21 and has guided UMS-Wright to at least the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs in 19 of his 22 years. He currently serves as president of the Alabama Football Coaches Association and serves on the Alabama High School Association’s governing body. Curtis was a founding member of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and has been chair of the selection committee for over 30 years. He is a member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Mobile County Hall of Fame and the UMS-Wright Hall of Fame, to name a few. Curtis has also won multiple Coach of the Year awards in Alabama.
Jake Gilbert completed his 10th season as head coach at Westfield High School by leading the Rocks to a 12-2 record and an appearance in the Indiana High School 6A state championship game. That was Westfield’s third appearance in the state championship game under Gilbert. In 2016, he guided Westfield to the school’s first ever state championship. Gilbert has won several Coach of the Year honors including Indiana Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2016 and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Indiana Coach of the Year in 2017. He has been an FCA sponsor since 2012 and created a Freshman Mentor Program and Life Ready Initiative at Westfield. Gilbert has hosted Special Olympic football clinics, raised money to tackle childhood cancer, led a mission trip to Haiti and helps support the Indiana Blood Center.
Bill Blankenship is an Oklahoma High School football coaching legend. He finished his fourth season at Owasso High School by leading the Rams to a 12-1 overall record and an appearance in the Class 6A semi-finals. Since arriving in 2017 as head coach, Blankenship has led Owasso to two state championships and two semi-final appearances. Prior to Owasso, Blankenship was the head coach at Fayetteville (Ark.) High School in 2016, guiding the Bulldogs to a Class 7A state title with a 12-1 record. He spent nine years as a college coach at Tulsa and Memphis. From 2011-2014, he was the head coach at Tulsa, leading the Golden Hurricanes to two bowl games and a Conference USA title in 2012. Blankenship earned his Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame induction for what he achieved at Union High School in Tulsa. In his 14 seasons as head coach, Union won 154 games, made seven state championship game appearances and won the 6A state championship three times. Blankenship is very involved with the Oklahoma Coaches Association Board and Oklahoma Football Coaches Association and has served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Tim Brennan has racked up on overall record of 225-79 in his 29 years as a head coach, with the last 25 coming at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho. He has led the Knights to six state championships, 11 league championships and four undefeated seasons. Brennan has won numerous awards over his career including six Idaho State Coach of the Year honors and the Hugh Brady Award in 2018 for outstanding service and dedication to the Idaho State Coaches Association and the youth of Idaho. He has served as vice president and president of the Idaho State Coaches Association and has been a board member of the Idaho Third District Coaches Association for 32 years.
The AFCA will announce the 2020 National Power of Influence Award winner during the virtual AFCA Convention on January 12-14, 2021. The Regional winners are finalists for the national Power of Influence Award.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out insider.afca.com and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
