Photo courtesy of the Iowa Association of Track Coaches

A long-time local head coach received a national award recognizing his efforts. Washington’s Steve Roth was named the 2023 National Boys’ Track & Field Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association during their annual convention last month in Lincoln, Nebraska. Roth tells KCII Sports he was very humbled by the honor, but it didn’t belong to him alone.

“It’s just a dream come true,” Roth says. “When I started, I never planned on anything like this. I’ve got to thank all the great runners I’ve had [and] the athletes I’ve had. My administration’s been awesome, my AD’s, my family. It took a lot to get where I’m at, and I’ve had great backing, and I’m just proud to be a Washington Demon.”

Roth was nominated for the honor by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches in recognition of his nearly 50 years leading the Demons in both track and cross country. Roth was the head coach for the Washington team that last won a state championship in track & field in 1998, and he recently guided the Demon boys to a third straight Southeast Conference championship this spring, the first time they’ve done so in program history. Washington also finished fourth in Class 3A in team scoring at the 2022 state meet.