Owrestle
Union Girls Wrestling Head Coach Gerald Harris has been honored as the 2022-2023 National Coach of the Year by the NFHS Coaches Association, a prestigious recognition by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The NFHS has been celebrating the achievements of high school coaches since 1982, awarding coaches in the most popular 10 girls and boys sports, along with two additional sports categories for each gender not covered in the top 10, and a special category for spirit coaches. To be eligible, coaches must be actively coaching in the year they are recognized. Harris has been selected for his outstanding contribution in a girls sport category outside the top 10.
Emily Barkley, director of Union Athletics, expressed immense pride in Harris’s achievement, highlighting its significance for both the coach and the girls wrestling program at Union Public Schools. Superintendent Dr. Kirt Hartzler and Associate Superintendent Dr. John Federline also praised Harris for his exceptional dedication and commitment to the sport.
The NFHS noted Harris’s remarkable success as a girls wrestling coach in Oklahoma. He led his teams to victory in the first three sanctioned Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Girls Wrestling State Championships – initially with Broken Arrow High School and subsequently with Union High School in Tulsa. In addition to his achievements in girls wrestling, Harris also secured boys state titles with Collinsville High School in 2019 and 2020, marking five consecutive years of state wrestling titles. His accolades include awards from the Oklahoma Coaches Association, Oklahoma Women’s Coaches Association, and being named the OSSAA Coach of the Year in 2023.
Beyond coaching, Harris plays a significant role in the promotion and support of girls wrestling. He is the executive director of “Wrestle for Equality,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting girls wrestling and providing financial assistance, and represents Oklahoma for “Wrestle Like a Girl,” which aims to empower girls and women through opportunities in the sport.
Harris emphasizes the importance of education, instilling a philosophy that prioritizes academics and character development alongside athletic talent. He believes in preparing his athletes for life beyond sports, encouraging them to make a positive impact in the world.
MORE ABOUT GERALD FROM NFHS:
Girls Other – Wrestling
Gerald Harris II
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Gerald Harris is off to an amazing start as a girls wrestling coach in Oklahoma. He has coached the winning team in the first three sanctioned Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Girls Wrestling State Championships – the first one at Broken Arrow High School and the last two years at Union High School in Tulsa. Including his boys state titles at Collinsville High School in 2019 and 2020, Harris has won state wrestling titles in five consecutive years. He has won numerous coaching awards, including Oklahoma Coaches Association, Oklahoma Women’s Coaches Association and OSSAA Coach of the Year in 2023. Harris is executive director of “Wrestle for Equality,” a non-for-profit for girls wrestling and financial assistance, and the Oklahoma representative for “Wrestle Like a Girl,” which seeks to empower girls and women through opportunities in female wrestling. Harris said he stresses the “importance of the classroom first, because without academics you have nothing regardless of how talented you are. I want that same mentality to carry them through life, keeping their priorities in order and making the world a better place with their presence.”
