Suffield Soccer Coach Named State Coach of the Year by Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance

The accolades keep rolling in for Suffield High School boys soccer coach Mark Beigel.

After leading the Wildcats to a second consecutive Class M state championship, the 39-year-old Beigel was named NCCC Coach of the Year for the second straight year, as well as the Small School Coach of the Year. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America selected Beigel as its Region I Coach of the Year, and he was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award.

The latest honor comes from the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance, which chose Beigel as recipient of the Doc McInerney High School Coach of the Year award for a male sport.

Beigel will receive his award at the 72nd Gold Key Dinner on Sunday, April 28 at 4 p.m. at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

"It's something I feel proud of, but it's great that it's recognition of the hard work of this community," Beigel said in a telephone interview Sunday night. "It's a little surreal; there's so many great coaches out there that teach the kids great values."

The 2012 season was Beigel’s 10th as the head boys soccer coach at Suffield. He has compiled a record of 137-44-25, for a .757 winning percentage. In addition to 2011 and 2012, he guided the Wildcats to a state title in 2006.

Northwest Catholic girls soccer coach Todd Sadler will receive the Doc McInerney High School Coach of the Year award for female sports.

This year’s Gold Key winners are former NBA player Mike Gminski, E.O. Smith boys soccer coach John Blomstrann, UConn field hockey coach Nancy Stevens, Staples cross country and track coach John “Laddie” Lawrence and former New Haven College basketball star Gary Liberatore.

Other CSWA award winners are Tina Charles of the Connecticut Sun, who will receive the Hank O’Donnell Female Athlete of the Year Award; former Hamden resident Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings, the Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year Award recipient; and Ansonia running back Arkeel Newsome and three-sport standout Casey Pearsall of Wilton, who are the Hal Levy High School Athletes of the Year.

Tickets to the 2013 Gold Key Dinner can be purchased by contacting either CSWA President George Albano of The (Norwalk) Hour at 203-434-2320, or Vice President and Dinner Chairman Bob Ehalt of The New Haven Register at Ehalt.Bob@sbcglobal.net.