Butch Pedersen has received many awards and achieved many things as a head football coach in his time on the West Branch sideline.

However, national coaching awards aren't things bestowed upon many coaches.

The 2017 National Coaches of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association have been named.

Pedersen was named as the recipient for the sport of football. Twenty-two other individuals were named national coaches of the year in their respective sport(s). West Branch's lead signal caller is THE guy for football.

"It actually came as a bit of a surprise to me, to be honest." Pedersen stated. "It is such an honor to receive any award. Our program has never been about me or one person, it is about the entire family."

The Bears finished the 2016 season with a 6-4 record, losing in the first round of the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 1A playoffs. In 2017, West Branch also lost in the first round, but completed the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record. They captured the Class 1A District 3 title.

Pedersen continued to make sure people realize it is not a one year award.

"Anytime you succeed it is a byproduct of things that happened before." stated the long time head coach. "It is about my dad's teams, the team I played on, and every kid I've ever coached. This is just as much their award as it is mine."

You can read the comple NFHS press release here.

Coach Pedersen will enter next season four wins shy of 300 for his career. If he reaches that plateau he would become just the 13th coach in the history of Iowa high school football to do so.