Stephen Woods ’09 is Section 5a Assistant Coach of the year

Saint John’s Prep is proud to announce that Stephen Woods ’09 has been named the Section 5A Girls’ Assistant Coach of the Year for girls’ cross-country. This honor was given after a vote of his peers in MSHSL Section 5A.

This honor comes after the girls’ team earned a trip to the state cross country championship race, after earning their spot at the Section 5A race in Hinckley on Thursday. Margaret Duffy ’27 won the girls’ race and is the Section 5A Champion. Connor ’29 earned the honor to compete at the state race by placing seventh in the section race.

Some of Coach Woods’ most memorable moments this season include watching Louise Ruzanic ’25 earn a personal best time of 19:12 and Margaret Duffy ’27 earn a personal best time of 19:42 at the Dragon Twilight Race in Moorhead. Watching the girls’ team win the Central Minnesota Conference Championship for the second year in a row and seeing the Johnnies earn a trip to the state meet as a team at the Section 5A race were also very important milestones for Coach Woods.

He enjoys seeing the impact cross-country running has on the lives of young athletes. “I coach because I love helping people develop passion in sports. Lessons in sport carry through into so many areas of life and I love being a positive influence. I had so many great coaches in my life that have ultimately helped me become who I am today, and I love giving back knowing I am making a big difference in kids’ lives.”

Besides coaching cross-country, Coach Woods has served as a basketball coach at Prep, four years for the boys’ varsity team and one year for the girls’ varsity team. He also currently coaches distance runners for the Prep track and field team. Coach Woods previously earned the assistant coach of the year honor twice for coaching the boys’ cross-country team.

The cross-country teams are also coached by Lance Nydeen, Kurt Salzl ’87, Jen Drakkar, and Claire Kissela ’20.

The last race of the season for Coach Woods and the girls’ cross country-team is the MSHSL State Cross-Country Championship race on November 2 at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolsted Golf Course. Class A will have a start time of Girls Class A (SJP GIRLS’ TEAM): 2:30pm and Boys Class A (Connor McMahon ’29) at 3:15pm.

Coach Woods is a 2009 graduate of Saint John’s Prep. He and his family live in Avon, Minnesota. He is the father of current Prep seventh grader, Lily ’30.