The CHARACTER COUNTS! Coach of the Year Award honors a worthy recipient who embodies the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. Rather than spotlight winning records and isolated acts of heroism or generosity, the award was conceived to recognize individuals whose coaching lives and achievements demonstrates an enduring commitment to any or all of the following qualities associated with good character.
The 2020 recipient of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coach of the Year is Akron-Westfield’s Kent Johnson. In recognition of this honor, a $1,000 cash award will be made to the Akron-Westfield athletic department to further enhance character development initiatives. Kent will be honored Friday night at the Girls State Basketball Tournament at halftime of the Class 3A state championship game.
Kent has been a social studies teacher and coach at Akron-Westfield since 1988. His coaching duties keep him busy year-long. He serves as the girls head basketball coach and head boys track & field coach. He has been an assistant football coach for 26 seasons and an assistant softball coach for 13 years.
Kent and his wife Kathy have two daughters that are also in education. Daughter Shelby is a math teach at Lynnville-Sully while daughter Tasha teach fifth grade in Urbandale.
