CULVER – The Culver School District is home to two of Oregon’s top coaches.

Lorne Stills, who coaches football and wrestling at Culver Middle School, and J.D. Alley, head wrestling coach at Culver High, were presented with two of the top coaching honors at the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association 2003 Coach of the Year Awards Banquet.

Stills was honored as the Oregon middle school male coach of the year. Alley was selected the Class 2A boys high school coach of the year.

Stills and Alley received their awards last Saturday during the OACA’s annual event at the Len Casanova Center at the University of Oregon’s Autzen Stadium in Eugene.

And, among Central Oregonians, the Culver coaches weren’t alone. Also honored at the event were Kelly Bokn of Redmond, who was named the 4A boys basketball coach of the year, and Mark Tichenor of Bend, who was selected 4A girls golf coach of the year.

Stills, 41, was selected for his award from among all middle school nominees, regardless of sport, school size and classification.

He was nominated for the award by Alley. The OACA’s executive board selected the winner.

”It’s nice to be recognized as someone who makes a difference; that’s what I’m in it for – for the kids and to make a difference,” said Stills.

”It’s nice to be able to tell that you are making a difference in some of the lives of the kids, and to be recognized by your peers.”

Criteria for the award, according to Marv Heater, executive director of the OACA, includes longevity, involvement in school, community and coaching activities, and recommendations from others.

Stills, a Central Oregon native, graduated in 1980 from Culver High, where he played football and was a state champion wrestler. He has coached at Culver Middle School for seven years, serves as an assistant wrestling coach at the high school, and has spent the past five years coaching the Culver Mat Club.

”It couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy,” Alley said of Stills. ”Sometimes assistant coaches like Lorne are in the background and don’t get the credit they deserve. To come out on top from all of the middle schools in Oregon says something about the guy.”

Alley, 36, who earlier in the year had been named the 2A-1A wrestling coach of the year, was chosen by his peers as the Class 2A boys coach of the year for all sports.

”I didn’t know about that until (last) Saturday,” said Alley. ”I was pleasantly shocked when they read my name.

”It (the award) just validates a lot of things you thought you were doing right. We’ve had a great bunch of kids at Culver to work with.”

Like Stills, Alley is a graduate of Culver High. He was a three-time state wrestling champion for the Bulldogs in the 1980s.

”We’re very honored to have two coaches of that caliber here at Culver,” said Culver athletic director Shay Little. ”What impresses me the most is these two guys are the ultimate role models … and in this day and age, kids need that.

”J.D. and Lorne are the tradition that is here. That’s the mark the rest of us are trying to reach.”