Whitefish's Byrd named national coach of the year
<p>Whitefish soccer coach O'Brien Byrd at practice on Tuesday, October 2, in Whitefish. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake )</p>
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — It’s been a special four months for Whitefish High School boys soccer coach O’Brien Byrd.
In October, he picked up his 100th career coaching victory.
His Bulldogs, later that month, capped off an undefeated season by winning the Class A state boys championship.
It was WHS’ fourth state title with Byrd at the helm (2006-07 and 2011-12).
Last month he received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Field Turf 2012 Coach of the Year Award for Division II — Rocky Mountain Region.
And Friday night, he snared the biggest prize of all. Byrd was named the National Coach of the Year at the NSCAA convention in Indianapolis, Ind.
Byrd started coaching at WHS in 2003. He took his team to the state finals that year, placing second.
WHS had back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2006-07.
The Bulldogs had their 42-match winning streak snapped in 2008.