In addition to the All League selections, the final award given is Coach of the Year. Second-year coach and ’03 alumnus Josh Justin was voted by the other coaches of the West Sequoia League (WSL) as Coach of the Year.

Justin has now led the Eagles to two CIF Central Section Division V Valley Championship games, winning last year’s match against Tranquillity, and also recently becoming WSL champions in their win over Caruthers, Feb. 11.

“I was very surprised to receive this award,” Justin said. “As a second year coach you do not expect to receive an award like coach of the year. I am very thankful to have received this award and I want to be sure and thank my team for all of their hard work and effort. It is because of their hard work and performance that I was able to receive the Coach of the Year award.”

Senior Tyler Krigbaum says Justin is one of the best coaches he has had in his basketball career due to Justin’s love for teaching the game of basketball.

“Playing under Coach Josh has been completely different than other coaches in the past,” Krigbaum said. “He is a coach who is a teacher; he doesn’t just yell and blow a whistle, he stops whatever it is we’re doing and coach us through what we can do better. He isn’t a hot head, but a humble man who loves to teach us, and make us the best we can be.”

Although last season they had a league record of 1-7, Justin turned around the program 180 degrees to go 7-1 this season.

“The primary reason for this change was the team’s improvement on the defensive end of the court,” Justin said. “This season, the coaching staff has put a larger emphasis on the importance of defense. This defensive improvement was a deciding factor in many of the close games we played this season.”

First year varsity player, Brandon McCormick, ’13, says Justin helped him succeed in areas of difficulty.

“Coach Josh has prepared me both mentally and physically for varsity,” McCormick said. “Even though this is his second year coaching, he knew my strengths and weaknesses to make me a better player. As a player, I like that style of coaching because he gives us the freedom to just play the game.”

Athletic Director Dan Stockton expresses his appreciation for Justin and his coaching staff for leading the team to another Valley Championship game.

“The entire school, faculty, students and administration are extremely proud of our boys’ basketball team,” Stockton said. “Justin and his staff have done a marvelous job this season and the players have been outstanding in every way.”

FC will next host the No. 9-seeded Holy Martyrs of Holy Martyrs Armenian High School, March 7 at 7 p.m.

For more information on Coach of the Year, read the Feb. 17 article, BREAKING: Martinez awarded WSL Coach of the Year.