Twenty-three high school coaches from across the country have been selected as 2021-22 National Coaches of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association. Among the winners is Benny Mitchell of Taos High School who was selected as the Boys Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Benny Mitchell has coached the Taos High School boys track and field team the past 14 years with a philosophy of developing student-athletes' ability to build trust in themselves, their teams and their supporters. He also developed a mini-dynasty in the past decade when the Taos boys track and field program won five straight state championships from 2014 to 2018. Mitchell's teams have also won seven district titles. In addition, Mitchell coaches the girls program at Taos, guiding them to three state titles and five district championships. Mitchell has led a wide variety of student-athletes at Taos having coached football, boys and girls basketball, and bowling during his time there. Mitchell is a current board member of the New Mexico Coaches Association and serves on the New Mexico Activities Association Track and Field Committee.
Jonah Vigil a multi-state champion coached under Mitchell in 2019.