Class 1 Coach of the Year
Lori Chester has, since the 04-05 academic year, served as the head coach at St. Joseph Christian School in Buchanan County. Her wanderings have taken her from the University of Oklahoma as far as New York and back to Missouri. She has experience in home-schooling, and now at St. Joseph Christian she teaches math. She cites her love of good competition for staying involved in our activity, and says she appreciates the great people and the learning opportunities it provides. Lori has had the bittersweet pleasure of coaching her own children in competition, and makes special mention of a wonderful and supportive spouse. In six years she has placed second at districts twice, won three district championships, and three times placed second in the state. She is also our Class 1 Coach of the Year.
Class 2 Coach of the Year Jen Padberg teaches at the Barstow School in Kansas City, where she has worked with the academic team for three years. She holds a BA in Social Studies from Truman State and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Mizzou. She has taught Spanish as well as Social Studies, and in that fact alone qualifies as an over-achiever. She appreciates the enthusiasm her kids bring to competition , and she says the young people make her job easy “because they love to learn and compete and laugh at themselves in the process.” Jen is, however, still working up the courage to host tournaments at her place, so give her your encouragement on that issue.
Class 3 Coach of the Year
Shawn Logan coached for three years at Macon before starting his current eight-year run at Smithville. His team improved from finishing second in districts in ‘06, ‘07, and ‘08 to winning district championships in 09 and this year— just in time to inaugurate the Sectionals round of the playoffs. Shawn competed at Savannah under Bill Luce, and credits much of his success to Bill’s mentorship. He says Bill Luce is not only a coach, “but an invaluable resource in teaching me how to build a successful program.”
Class 4 Coach of the Year
Bob Odzinski from Kirksville defers credit for his success, noting how he inherited a strong program from his predecessor, Myra Collins, and adding that he’s just lucky to have a “group of hard-working and dedicated students.” Bob graduated from Truman State University with a bachelor’s and a master’s, and is an English teacher who is married to another teacher. Bob won a state championship in only his third year of coaching, and protests, “I have to admit feeling a little undeserving of the honor,” to which we respond, “Bob won a state championship in his third year of coaching.” We should all be so undeserving.
The Carol Farmer Founders Award The Carol Farmer Founders Award goes to the coach or sponsor who has earned recognition over a career for outstanding service to the activity of academic competition. With a bachelor’s and a master’s from Wichita State (see them at GoShockers.com) Troy Kinast has taught thirteen years on the college level and fourteen years at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School in Joplin. On top of that, he worked for two years as a rules interpreter, spent eight years as a state moderator, and worked for three years with MACA’s Panasonic Team. He also stacked up a coaching record of five state championships and one runner-up finish in six years, and served two years as President of the Missouri Academic Coaches Association. He remains one of the most respected coaches in the state.