Welcome Message

The structure of this web site is to honor those individuals that have devoted their lives to serving Arizona's youth with leadership, excellence, and success.  The men and women inducted into the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame are the epitome of their profession and are being honored by their peers.  As of this writing 220 great coaches/educators have been inducted into this place of honor.  The Hall of Fame inductions began in 1984 with 32 charter members.  Usually a group of 5 new worthy coaches are added annually after a preceding member and/or the Executive Board induction committee nominates and then selects the candidates on the basis of their tenure, merit, and other exemplary characteristics.  We hope you enjoy moving through this history of excellence in Arizona High School Athletics.  You are navigating through a membership of coaches that have all been a coach for 20 years in the same sport, more than one sport, had unparalleled success, and/or have served their respective coaches' associations in various volunteer capacities.  Enjoy this trip down memory lane. There is a handsome public display of all 220 coaches in the Gila River Arena in Glendale just inside Gate 7. 

Hall of Fame

Dave Vibber coached the Corona Del Sol Aztecs to State Championships in 3 different sports over a 30 year career.  Although he is best known as the head wrestling coach, Vibber won State Titles in 1980 in football and 1982 in track and field.  Vibber's teams won 403 dual meets, 6 Central...Read more

Coach Ken Troutt was a high school athletic coach for 30 years and was the head basketball coach 27 years.  Troutt led the Globe Tigers from 1952 to 1959 and celebrated the Class A State Basketball Championship in 1956.  Troutt moved on to Phoenix Central and coached there form 1959 to 1983. ...Read more

William "Herk" Mc Dermott coached basketball for 26 years at Kingman, North High School, and East High Schools.  Coach McDermott was always one of the most involved members of the coaches association. Coach McDermott was the secretary-treasurer of the Arizona Coaches Association from 1964-67 and...Read more

Jack A. Wilson was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Wilson coached basketball and football at Bisbee and then Benson High Schools for over 20 years.  Jack retired in 1973 with a 260-65 win/loss record in basketball.  His teams won State Championships in...Read more

Frank Castro was a head and an assistant football coach at various prep locations throughout Arizona for the last 40 years.  Coach Castro played in Bagdad and won a 6 man state title before the playoffs were AIA controlled back in 1952.  Frank has been a top assistant in many other successful...Read more

Ralph R. "Robby" Robinson taught 39 years in the Phoenix Union District and coached 29 of those years.  Robby was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Robinson personally coached 32 State Championship teams in various sports, primarily football and basketball...Read more

Coach Joseph X. Miller was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Miller worked 34 years in Arizona high school sports coaching primarily football and basketball.  Miller's Prescott Badgers went 40-29-1 on the the gridiron while Prescott and the Sunnyslope...Read more

William J. Saunders was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Bill Saunders worked 33 years in Arizona high schools as a football coach.  After stops in Coolidge, Phoenix Union, and Camelback, Saunder's teams won 117 games, lost 91, and had 8 ties.  His football...Read more

Fred E. Anderson was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  He was the head basketball coach at Flagstaff High School for 20 years.  The Eagles basketball players were 364-138 under Coach Anderson.  Anderson's teams were 8 times conference champions and were the large...Read more

Coach James P. (Jim) Lovett was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Jim was an Arizona high school basketball coach for over 40 years.  His career began in Duncan and ended in Winslow in 1966.  Coach Lovett's Winslow Bulldogs finished with a record of 143-82. ...Read more

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