NORCECA has created a coaching award honoring late U.S. volleyball coach and pioneer Jim Coleman, the organization announced Tuesday.

The Jim Coleman Award, which will be a trophy, will be presented every two years to the most outstanding coach at the NORCECA Men's Continental Championships, NORCECA’s most important continental tournament.

USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal proposed the creation of the award at NORCECA meetings over the weekend of April 29. The proposal was unanimously approved by the Executive Committee and the Board of Administration of NORCECA (the North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation).

"Jim devoted an inordinate amount of time to the progress and support of the Confederation, both when he was a USA Volleyball staff member and after," said USAV CEO Doug Beal. "I am personally pleased that the NORCECA Executive Committee and the Board of Administration unanimously approved this proposal.

"It is fitting that an ongoing coaching award carries his name. I think Jim would be pleased and I hope his family is pleased."

Coleman, who died in 2001, was a co-founder of NORCECA, a top coach and a volleyball pioneer. Overall, he took part in seven Olympic Games, eight Pan American Games, five World Cups, six World Championships and 11 NORCECA Championships. He was the coach of, or worked with every U.S. Men’s National Team from 1965 until his death. In 1968, he served as head coach for the U.S. men’s Olympic volleyball team that competed in Mexico City.

Coleman and his wife, Lee created volleyball statistical systems that are now used worldwide and he also created the net antennae used in today"s competition.

For more information, go to www.usavolleyball.org