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DES MOINES, IA —Standing tall on the podium in their suits and ties, a far-shot off from the typcial coaching attire, Jay Schobinger of Dickinson High School’s girls’ volleyball and Gregg Grinsteinner of Trinity High School’s boys’ basketball were among those named National Coach of the Year Finalists at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) Convention.
The banquet and award recognition event was held in Des Moines, Iowa June 18 through June 22. Nominees were selected by the North Dakota High School Coaches Association (NDHSCA) and eight finalists from around the country were chosen for each coaching category. The nominees were selected based on their coaching records, their involvement in the Coach Association, their involvement in advisory committees for their sport, their willingness to participate in presentations at the Coach’s Association clinic at the state and national level and several other factors.
“To be in the same breath with guys like Greg Grinsteinner and Jeff Schumacher is totally an honor,” Schobinger said.
Although Schobinger announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2022 academic year, he says he is going to continue coaching volleyball for another year or two.
“We’ve got some young kids (coaches) in the program who are in their first and second years of teaching and that’s very overwhelming,” Schobinger said. “I’m going to stick around and help out until they are ready to take over.”
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Schobinger says he learned a vast majority of his coaching techniques at the NDHSCA conventions. Throughout his coaching career, he even delivered a few presentations at the Convention himself. One of his favorites was titled “The things I think I might know.” The lecture explored the multiple roles a coach may play in an athlete’s life.
“Discovering what each kid needs from me as a coach is the most rewarding part,” Schobinger said. “I share things with other coaches because that’s how I learned.”
Grinsteinner also attended the banquet and was honored by the recognition.
“There’s a lot of people who are involved with this, it’s not just Jay and myself,” Grinsteinner said. “This is about the programs and the schools that we represent. We were fortunate to have good assistants and coaches around us. We also had to have good athletes to have success like this. It comes down to the schools and the community and this says a lot about Dickinson and Trinity both.”
For Grinsteinner it was a privilege to sit with exceptional coaches from different regions who were there to represent their sports and teams. He says one of the biggest blessings in his life has been serving on the Coach’s Association executive board because it helped him meet many other special, talented coaches in North Dakota.
In addition to the competitive thrill of coaching, Grinsteinner says he loves helping kids grow. His biggest mission is to make a positive impact in their lives while serving as a teacher and role model for them. Grinsteinner’s Titans finished the season with a 16-8 overall record.
“When you have a kid that comes back after 20 years and still calls you coach, they don’t call you by your first name, I think you’ve impacted their life and that means a lot,” Grinsteinner said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
