Ankeny Centennial boys’ basketball coach Bob Fontana has been named the state of Iowa recipient of the John Wooden Legacy Coach of the Year award.
Fontana was presented his award prior to Tuesday’s game at home against Waukee.
“I’m very humbled and feel honored to receive this award from the Wooden Foundation and the National High School Basketball Coaches Association,” said Fontana.
Upon his selection for the award, Fontana received a letter from Greg Wooden, a representative of the Wooden family.
“My grandfather, John R. Wooden, devoted his life to making an impact in the lives of others through the game of basketball,” wrote Greg Wooden. “His passion was teaching, and there no group that he was more passionate about that subject than coaches. The fact that you are receiving this award is a testament to a long-standing commitment you have made as a teacher/coach within your community. You are receiving this award because you embody many traits that my grandfather felt were vital to success: Education, Longevity, Character, Service and Excellence.”
Fontana, a 1977 graduate of Ankeny High School, coached at Cedar Rapids Kennedy for 16 years before returning to his hometown to start the Centennial program in 2013. He compiled a 228-136 mark at Kennedy, making him the winningest coach in school history.
Fontana guided the Cougars to the state tournament three times. His teams placed third twice and fourth once.
Fontana has won 473 games in his career, including a 172-98 record at Centennial. He has twice taken the Jaguars to the state tournament, including a fourth-place finish in 2020.
Fontana credited some of his former coaches at Ankeny High School for inspiring him to follow in their footsteps.
“At the old Ankeny High School, I had some coaches who were great role models who always did things the right way as far as organization, commitments and accountability,” he said. “That was Larry Ireland, Dale Hanke, Dave Kissinger, Jerry Pezzetti and Don Agard. All of them had different personalities, but you knew what the expectations were. It’s one of the reasons that I got into coaching–because of my experiences at the old Ankeny High School.”