Hennes Receives IGHSAU Golden Plaque Award

(Submitted by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union)

Johnston girls cross country coach Patrick Hennes is the 2018 IGHSAU cross country recipient of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Golden Plaque of Distinction Award.

The IGHSAU’s Golden Plaque of Distinction honors the Iowa coach who has demonstrated a successful career while making notable contributions toward school, community and the coaching profession.  Hennes will be honored before the Class 4A awards ceremony at this Saturday’s Iowa State Cross Country Meet in Fort Dodge.

Hennes began his career as head girls cross country coach at Johnston in 2003. Since that time, the Dragons girls have been a mainstay at the State Cross Country Meet, qualifying a total of 15 times. After just missing the podium at the State Meet by finishing fourth on three separate occasions, the Dragons were able to hoist a team trophy by finishing third in 2012. That finish helped to spark a run in which  Johnston has won three out of the last four Class 4A State Championships. The 2016 season was particularly memorable as the team placed all five scoring finishers in the top 10 of the team competition, setting an all-time Class 4A record low score of 26 points. Following that season, Hennes was named the overall Des Moines Register All Sports Award Coach of the Year as well as the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Iowa Coach of the Year.

Hennes teaches social studies at Johnston High School, where he lives with his wife Beth and sons Samuel and Mengesha. He also serves as an assistant track & field coach with the Dragons. Congratulations, Coach Hennes!

Johnston girls cross country coach Pat Hennese (pictured far right) has received the IGHSAU Golden Plaque Award.