Bothell, Wash. – July 23, 2012

Complete dedication to their teams and communities. The ability to motivate and support their athletes during challenging situations. An unwavering Run Happy spirit. After reviewing more than 1,300 nominations for high school track and/or cross country coaches who inspire their athletes every day, Brooks Sports, Inc. today announced this year’s top 25 and will share each coach’s unique, poignant story with the running community so they can help select the 2012 Inspiring Coach of the Year.

"Running at the high school level can be a very powerful experience. These young athletes have many options for how they spend their free time, but they’re choosing to participate in active, community-rich programs that ideally inspire a lifetime of running and healthy well-being," said Jim Weber, president and CEO of Brooks Sports, Inc. "This year we received very meaningful stories about inspiring coaches who lead these programs, and we’re super excited to honor them for the immense dedication they’ve given their athletes and our sport."

Beginning today, runners, community members, students, and more are invited to visit www.facebook.com/brooksrunning to learn about the finalist coaches and their special stories. Fans are encouraged to show support by voting for their favorites by Sept. 2, 2012. This year’s most inspiring coach will be announced in September 2012.

Hailing from high schools across the U.S., Brooks’ 25 most inspiring high school track and/or cross country coaches for 2012 are:

Coach Pete Boudreaux – Catholic High School, Baton Rouge, LA
Coach Mark Buesing – Libertyville High School, Libertyville, IL
Coach Mike Buslepp – Romeo High School, Romeo, MI
Coach Hernando Chavez – Taos High School, Taos, NM
Coach Christian Cuthbert – Veritas School, Richmond, VA
Coach Jeremy Darby – Landrum High School, Campobello, SC
Coach David Davis – Mountain View High School, Stafford, VA
Coach Julie Fink – Runnels High School, Baton Rouge, LA
Coach Scott Griggs – Franklin High School, Seattle, WA
Coach Eric Heintz – Marist School, Atlanta, GA
Coach Marcus Jackson – Sheffield High School, Memphis, TN
Coach Victoria Jones – Mill Springs Academy, Alpharetta, GA
Coach Jerry Loveall – Velma-Alma High School, Velma, OK
Coach Kay Nekota – Vacaville High School, Vacaville, CA
Coach John O'Malley – Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park, IL
Coach Israel Pose – Torrance High School, Torrance, CA
Coach Joseph Prince – Sahuarita High School, Sahuarita, AZ
Coach Paul Raley – Benton High School, Benton, WI
Coach Wayne Roberts – Sandusky High School, Sandusky, MI
Coach Dan Scroggins – Lake City Community School, Lake City, CO
Coach Mark Shafer – Chardon High School, Chardon, OH
Coach Arthemon Sindayigaya – Abilene Christian High School, Abilene, TX
Coach Ben Talsma – Crossroads Charter Academy, Big Rapids, MI
Coach Melissa Thomas – Manchester Valley High School, Manchester, MD
Coach Connie Washnik – Park Ridge High School, Park Ridge, NJ

Each of the Inspiring Coaches finalists will receive $5,000 in Brooks performance running footwear, apparel, and accessories for their team, $500 in cash for additional team expenses, and membership into the Brooks Inspire Daily (I.D.) program. The Brooks I.D. program is an invitation-only influencer group with members who are active in their running communities and share a passion for the Brooks brand. The 2012 Inspiring Coach of the Year will also receive an additional $5,000 in Brooks gear, $2,000 in cash and a trip for two to the 2013 Brooks PR Invitational.

Brooks Sports, Inc. created the Brooks Inspiring Coaches program in February 2011 to identify and honor coaches across the nation who put in extra time and resources to build and keep their programs strong, make a lasting difference in the lives of their athletes, and inspire everyone in the community to run and be active. In an effort to bolster its support for coaches and their high school running teams nationwide, Brooks decided to more than double its investment in the Inspiring Coaches program for 2012 by increasing the number of finalists from 10 to 25.

For more information on the 2012 top 25 Inspiring Coaches finalists and to vote for your favorite, visit www.Facebook.com/brooksrunning.

About Brooks

Brooks Sports, Inc. is a leading running company that designs and markets a line of performance footwear, apparel, and accessories in more than 60 countries worldwide. A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Brooks was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Bothell, Wash., near Seattle. The company's mission is to inspire everyone to run and be active by creating innovative gear that keeps them running longer, farther, and faster. Visit www.brooksrunning.com for more information, and follow frequent brand updates on Twitter (@brooksrunning) and Facebook (Brooks Sports).

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