In early December, the MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) announced the coach of the year awards. The award is given to coaches that show excellence in leadership and Character. Out of the 27 standout coaches that were selected for this prestigious award, two were from at Hingham High School. These coaches are Paul Canniff and Dawn Diedricksen. But, who are they?

Mr. Canniff is the wrestling coach and a successful math teacher at Hingham high school. He has led the team to the Patriot League Championships every year since 2013. When asked about the award, Mr. Canniff said that he was “fortunate enough to have worked with great coaches at Hingham and have coached great wrestlers.” He credits a lot of his success to the players and coaches around him. Mr. Canniff’s win reflects the time and effort he has put into the team through the success of his team.  He stated that “Wrestling gave [me] the opportunity to become a better person and I want to give the same opportunity to others”. He creates these opportunities by allowing almost anybody to join the wrestling team, growing to around 38 student-athletes. As a successful math teacher and coach, Mr. Canniff has positively impacted the lives of many Hingham kids.

The other Hingham teacher that won this prestigious award is Mrs. Diedricksen. She coached the girls’ cross country and track teams from 2013-2022 before stepping away earlier this year, in order to spend more time with her family. Coach Bob Ritz has sense stepped into her role. During her time as the head coach, the women’s team were state relay champions seven times and won the Patriot League twelve times, in addition to a 2013 state championship. Undoubtedly, Mrs. Diedricksen’s passion and skill as a coach promoted a winning culture on the team. She shared, “I love helping athletes reach their goals and helping a team win a championship.” She has inspired and helped her student-athletes achieve their dreams of competing at a higher level, showing how much she deserves this award.

Hingham High School has been blessed with many amazing teachers and coaches that have allowed the athletic program to thrive and get to the point in which it is today. Mr. Canniff and Mrs. Diedricksen have shown that they can successfully lead their teams to be the best that they can be. The student body is lucky to have these amazing coaches and teachers to help and support them during their high school journeys.