They pushed and encouraged and raised the bar for dozens of student athletes last year, and now Shirley Baker and J.D. Rushton are being rewarded as Sumner School District’s Coaches of the Year.

The award is given to coaches who “demonstrate a strong commitment to developing positive character traits os student athletes,” according to a release sent by the district Thursday.

District Athletic Director Tim Thomsen announced the Coach of the Year winners Tuesday and Wednesday, at the annual Awards Luncheon and monthly district board of directors meeting, respectively.

Baker is the head volleyball and head girls track coach at Bonney Lake high School.

“Shirley was hired to open Bonney Lake high school as an AP English teacher, and our head volleyball and track coach,” the release read. “She had coached  and taught for 15 years prior to her arrival in the home of the Panthers, and was a very accomplished and experienced educator.  In addition to her coaching experience, Shirley was an outstanding athlete – a shot putter, Shirley was an Olympic Trials qualifier and a two time NCAA D1 All American, and was a runner up in the NCAA track meet in 1988.

“In [the] last three years, the state champions in the girls shot put (the event Shirley coaches) have been Bonney Lake Panthers (Tiara Kilmer in 2009, Adara Winder in 2010 and 2011 – Adara was also 3rd at state as a freshman in 2009).  Bonney Lake volleyball has consistently been one of the most competitive in the league.”

Rushton is the head boys golf coach at Bonney Lake High School and the head boys basketball coach at Mountain View Middle School.

“Uniquely, JD has coached at all levels in the Sumner School District  – elementary, middle school and high school,” the release read. “He even coached a year as an assistant at the college level.  He has a total of 12 years coaching in Sumner, which includes 23 different seasons of track, boys and girls basketball and golf.

“JD is an accomplished golfer, with a noteworthy collegiate career at Western Washington that included two years of All American designation, and in 1997, a championship in the Tacoma Amateur.”

Nominees for Coach of the Year honors included:

• Sara Jackson, Sumner Middle School, fastpitch and girls basketball.

• Kristin Martin, Sumner High School, cross country and track.

• Cleo Reed, Lakeridge Middle School, girls basketball and baseball.