Robert Burnham is seen here with his coaching staff after being named coach of the year by the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association in February.
Robert Burnham, who led the Christian County wrestling program for 16 years before stepping down at the end of the 2019-20 season, has been named National Wrestling Coaches Association High School Boys Head Coach of the Year for the state of Kentucky.
In winning the state coach of the year honor, Burnham became a finalist for the NWCA Section Two Coach of the Year Award.
In addition, Burnham’s coaching staff was named the Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year for Kentucky by the NWCA. They also become finalists for the NWCA Section Two Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year Award.
The Christian County High School staff consists of coaches Dee Leavell, Anthony Smith, Damien Leavell, Anthony Harris, and Anthony Adams.
Christian County finished as state runner-up in 2020, setting a new school record for points scored at the state meet. The Colonels finished as runner-up in the region seven straight seasons from 2014-20. Burnham coached two individual state champions — Jakerion Merritt in 2019 and Niko Bussell in 2020 and over a dozen Colonels have gone on to continue their wrestling careers in college.
Christian County also won six straight King of the Bluegrass titles and had nine placers at the state tournament.
Burnham was named the state coach of the year by the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association in February.
VIDEO: Burnham reflects on his coaching legacy at Christian County High
