They wanted to honor Jeff Hinz as coach of the year in 5A Inland Empire League football, but he would have none of it.

His Post Falls Trojans football team failed to qualify for the state playoffs, but that isn’t why the other three league head coaches wanted to honor him anyway.

They thought he deserved it because of the courageous battle Hinz, in his 11th season as Trojans’ head coach, waged against non-smokers’ lung cancer the last two years, and the lessons he’s taught his players by the way he’s fought the good fight — doing his best to make it to practice and games, even when he could barely walk.

Hinz said he was honored that coaches Shawn Amos of Coeur d’Alene, Van Troxel of Lake City and Shawn Nilsson of Lewiston would think that much of him, but ...

“I said, ‘Just because I’m sick, don’t give me an award,’” Hinz said the other day.

But they insisted.

So after the all-league meeting, Hinz contacted the person in charge of sending out the all-league teams to the media, and asked for his coaches to be honored. That’s why, on page B4 of this paper, for Coach of the Year in 5A IEL football, it reads, “Post Falls High football staff.”

“They did all the work while I was gone,” Hinz said of his coaches. “The varsity staff was very supportive and held it all together — a great group of guys.”

IT WAS two years ago on Thanksgiving day when Hinz’s life changed — walking around the house, he took a step, put all his weight on his left leg and his femur snapped. A tumor was found in his leg, and in his lung.

That’s when the original cancer was diagnosed.

Chemotherapy treatments began, and Hinz coached when he could, and taught — he teaches government and speech — when he could.

HINZ SAID he was feeling great this summer — as great as someone with a little bit of cancer still in his body can feel.

Then he started having some complications in early August.

“Some severe pulsating headaches,” he said, “and some spells where my body just wouldn’t function right. I’d take like three steps and I’d be like, frozen. I just couldn’t have any strength to walk.”

He underwent a battery of tests, passing all — except for one.

Doctors found some cancer cells had spread into his spinal fluid.

He got the news on the second Monday of double-days football practices. Shortly thereafter, he started chemo on that newfound cancer.

Along with those complications he was having, other issues arose.

Hinz developed a bacterial infection in his right shoulder, which was operated on last year. In August, part of his right clavicle was removed.

He then developed some blood sugar issues, and is now taking insulin.

So with these complications, he made the decision in late August that he couldn’t teach this year. He vowed to coach as much as he could — except when doctors visits and hospital stays prevented that.

“The Post Falls school district, Jerry Keane, Becky Ford, Dena Naccarato, Chris Sensel … Craig Christensen, our administrative team, they’ve been so supportive and so awesome,” Hinz said.

He coached Post Falls’ first two football games from the press box, but found the stairs difficult to navigate. He missed the next couple games as he was in the hospital. When he returned to the sidelines, he literally returned to the sidelines — coaching from a wheelchair, trying to stay behind the play as much as possible.

“I didn’t want anybody to get hurt running into me, or me to get hurt,” Hinz said.

HINZ NOTES that November is lung cancer awareness month, and he has done the research and become an advocate for awareness of the cancer.

“More women die each year from lung cancer than breast cancer,” he said. It’s the No. 1 cancer in the nation, and the second-leading cause of death.”

He noted the stigma that only smokers can get lung cancer, which is not true, because he did.

“If you have a set of lungs, guess what? You can get it,” he said.

THESE DAYS, Hinz said doctors are still trying to figure out where the headaches are coming from, and why his body suddenly freezes up. The last three tests he has had done on his spinal fluid have come up clear, meaning there were no new cancer cells found in his spinal fluid.

“So now they don’t know if it’s the medication, they don’t know if it’s the residual effect from the cancer cells … it’s a puzzle,” Hinz said. “I’ve seen a neurologist, I’ve seen an oncologist. You name ’em, I’ve seen ’em.”

As for the original cancer — he still has the tumor in his lung, a couple spots here and there in his spine, and in his leg — the latest scans show the original cancer is stable. The tumors are not any smaller, but not any bigger.

“It’s good news in my world. This is the only time a football coach will take a tie,” Hinz said with a laugh. “I’ll take the tie here.”

TWO YEARS later, Hinz, 44, hopes to have an uneventful Thanksgiving day today — watch a little football, eat a little turkey.

What is he thankful for, two years later?

“I’ve outlived my diagnosis,” he said. “Usually they say, I was never given an exact number, or an exact time frame … but if you read about it, in your first year it’s 50/50. I’m thankful for the support that I’ve gotten from my family, my wife, my kids, my players. I’m thankful for the support from the Post Falls/Coeur d’Alene community, my friends, and the Post Falls School District.”

He said coaches from the Greater Spokane League, and others in Spokane, as well as past coaches in North Idaho, including some former Post Falls coaches, have reached out as well.

“The community support I’ve received is such a blessing,” Hinz said. “Just random acts of kindness you wouldn’t believe. Things that get left on our porch, from envelopes to food to sacks of groceries, to gas cards, … you name it.”

Just as you might expect from a caring community, for a caring coach.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.