River Bluff’s Savitz, Spring Valley’s Long earn national coaching awards
River Bluff’s Phil Savitz and former Spring Valley coach Anne Long were honored by the National Federation of State High School Associations for their championship seasons.
Savitz was named the NFHS Boys Soccer Coach of the Year, while Long was named the NFHS Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.
Savitz led the Gators to their first state championship this year with a 5-0 win over Clover on May 14. The victory was Savitz 700th of his career and 15th state championship, both South Carolina state records. River Bluff also finished the season nationally ranked in the National Soccer Coaches Athletic Association Top 25 poll.
Savitz was named the NSCAA Coach of the Year for the large public school division. He received his award Friday in Los Angeles.
Long led Spring Valley to Class 4A girls state championship in March. It was her eighth state title and fourth at SV. She retired from coaching in April and won 851 games in her career, second most in state history.
Long lives in Daniel Island and teaching part-time at College of Charleston. She will be honored Saturday, along with Lower Richland’s Debbie Wardlaw and Terrells Bay’s Taft Watson, at the second annual Crescent Construction MLK Bash.
The NFHS has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982 and honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports.
This story was originally published January 13, 2017 at 3:27 PM with the headline "River Bluff’s Savitz, Spring Valley’s Long earn national coaching awards."