Credit: Jr. NBA

Editor’s Note: The Jr. NBA and Positive Coaching Alliance have partnered together to create a program designed to honor influential youth basketball coaches and the impactful work that they do for our game. The Jr. NBA Coach of the Year award is given to a youth basketball coach in an NBA team market who is making a positive impact on children by demonstrating outstanding integrity, character, and leadership. You can read about the program here.

The eight semifinalists for the national Coach of the Year award have been announced. These semifinalists were selected because they have not only been successful in bettering their athletes on the court but have also shown that their main focus was to make these athletes better people in their communities.

These coaches have established and fostered meaningful relationships with their athletes and their families over the years, and have incorporated valuable life lessons into every aspect of basketball they coach.

Read about Jr. NBA Program of the Month Head Start Basketball and four ways you can win.

The next step is for you to vote and help select the top 3 finalists. From May 8 to May 22, vote for your favorite coach on Twitter to see them recognized as the national Jr. NBA Coach of the Year! Below are the voting rules.
• Voting is open from May 8 – May 22, 2017 on Twitter only
• Tweet specific coach hashtag to count as one vote
• Retweets count as votes
• There is no limit on the number of times users can vote per day

Specific hashtags for voting are included below each semifinalists’ photo. You can read more about each coach by clicking on their photos in this article.

Below are some of the tweets and votes being dished out for the Jr. NBA Coach of the Year.

ICYMI don’t forget to vote for the #JrNBA Coach of the Year! Use the hashtags in the graphic to vote. #JrNBACOY pic.twitter.com/wloIkM1YCW

— Jr. NBA (@jrnba) May 11, 2017

#JRNBACOYPHI @AlexHolleyFOX29 this guy………next time he’s on the show can I have your autograph pic.twitter.com/i9lXWDOyDJ

— realtalk96 (@staytrueselflov) May 18, 2017

Only 5 more days to vote for Dwight Taylor for #JRNBACOYSAC!

— Lauren LeBov (@lolebov) May 17, 2017

What!?!? You haven’t voted for @carrieberran for Coachof the Year yet!?!! Just retweet this!!#JRNBACOYMIn pic.twitter.com/DxZyv7PHPM

— Keith Peterson (@keith3563) May 14, 2017

RT for a chance to win an autographed team basketball! #JRNBACOYMEM pic.twitter.com/4drD5iB45u

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) May 15, 2017

Vote for my man John LaTorre as NBA Jr Coach of the Year #JrNBACOYCHI pic.twitter.com/yT2HUGty4h

— Matt DeMateo (@m_demateo) May 15, 2017

Thank you Boston Celtics Sam Taub. Vote Al McClain #jrnbacoybos pic.twitter.com/JEvwbGpTPf

— Al McClain (@AlMcClain4) May 17, 2017

Help Atlanta Police Officer Jergler win the Jr. NBA Coach of the year contest by tweeting the hashtag #JRNBACOYATL

— Craig Ephraim (@heyeph) May 9, 2017

I just wanted to thank all my friends, family and Laker Organization for the ♡ and support. God is amazing. #JrNBACOYLAL pic.twitter.com/Btf9JJa1mJ

— Kenneth COOK (@CoachKennyCook) May 16, 2017

Learn how you can get involved with the Jr. NBA by signing up below.