Capping off a season where he was named Columbia River Conference Coach of the Year and 5A Coach of the Year, HRV boys soccer Coach Jaime Rivera has now been recognized with an award from a national organization for his coaching efforts.
HRV Athletic Director Tom Ames announced earlier this week that Rivera was named by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) as the 2015 State and Northwest Section Coach of the Year. The Northwest Section includes the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Rivera, who will be entering his seventh season as the HRV boys head coach in the fall of 2016, led the Eagles this fall to their second-consecutive 5A state title, this time defeating top-ranked Wilsonville, 2-0. Under Rivera’s guidance, the HRV boys haven’t lost a game since the 2013 5A state title.
NFHS is a national organization based in Indianapolis, Ind., that is the rulemaking body for 16 high school sports in the U.S. According to Ames, the NFHS’s awards are based on several factors, including the coach’s record, longevity in coaching, membership in and affiliation with coaching and other professional organizations, involvement with other school and community activities and programs, and coaching philosophy.
“We’re very proud of Jaime’s accomplishments on and off the field of play,” he said.
Rivera was pleased with the honor, but said he was surprised that he was selected.
“Usually the coaches (who win) have been around for 20-30 years and for me entering my seventh year as a coach, that surprised me… I didn’t think there was a chance that I would be a sectional coach,” he said.
In addition to serving as soccer coach, Rivera works as a paraprofessional at Summit Career Center. He also volunteers at Healthy Active Hood River County, coaches youth soccer camps and academies for Community Education, and helps local groups with mountain bike trail building. Rivera lives in Hood River with his wife, Christina, who is a kindergarten teacher at Westside Elementary and is Rivera’s inspiration for his coaching career (“Her encouragement and support have helped me tremendously,” he says). The two have a son together, Kiera Joaquin, who is 18 months old, and have another child on the way.
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