Derek Robey, Rob VanLaecken and Dan Sudbeck were honored by the South Dakota High School Coaches Association Tuesday.
They were among six who earned annual awards for the winter 2012 season.
Robey, a Mitchell native, led the Sioux Falls O'Gorman boys' basketball team to a state championship this year. He was named the South Dakota boys' basketball coach of the year, taking the award for the second time in his career. This year's title was the third straight and fifth championship in seven years for the school, all coming under Robey. The past two years, O'Gorman defeated Mitchell in the state championship game. He said his team has lost only 16 times in its last 100 contests over a span of five years.
"With awards like this, I feel very, very honored and special that coaches think this highly of me," Robey said. "It really represents the year we had.
"We've had arguably the best run in the history of South Dakota basketball in the last three years."
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VanLaecken, who was named the South Dakota girls' basketball coach of the year, led Parkston to the Class A state championship game, where the Trojans lost to St. Thomas More. It was the first time in VanLaecken's coaching career he made the state championship game.
It is his first time earning the annual award.
"Things like this happen when you have a great bunch of kids and great assistant coaches," he said. "I'm pretty humbled and don't know what to think of it."
Sudbeck, of Dimock, was named the official of the year. He has been refereeing basketball since 1978, according to the South Dakota High School Athletic Association website. He is also an official for high school football. Sudbeck did not return messages left by The Daily Republic Tuesday.
Others to win awards annual award were Watertown's Vicky Fisher, gymnastics; Pierre's Ryan Noyes, wrestling; and Sioux Falls Lincoln's Jim Dorman, athletic director.
