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

Coach Joe Hunter was Mr. Wrestling at Peoria High School in the early days of this sport in high school.  The program began with Joe in 1962 and the Joe Hunter Invitational Wrestling Tournament thrives to this day.  Coach Hunter was in the thick of the fiercest fighting in WWII as he was in the...Read more

Coach Lonnie Foster led his Eloy Santa Cruz Dust Devils to State Football Championships in 1965, 66, and 1969.  Two of those teams were undefeated 12-0.  Coach Foster is on the left in the current picture.  Coach Foster was selected by his peers in the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame to be inducted...Read more

Truman Williamson was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Williamson remained a Varsity Head Football Coach well into his 70's.  The football field in Sierra Vista bears the Williamson name. Read more

James "Doc" Van Horne was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Van Horne won 13 state titles at Tucson High School in a career that spanned 1925 to 1959.  Coach Van Horne's Badgers won State Track Titles in 1927,28,36,38,39,40,41,45,46,47,48,49,and 1953.  One...Read more

Al Van Hazel (Coach Van) was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Van Hazel's Casa Grande Cougars won the State Track Title 11 times in his 22 years as the head coach.  Seventy-six youngsters under Coach Van Hazel won individual state championship titles. ...Read more

Coach Skip Schifino was a charter member of the Arizona High School Coaches Hall of Fame.  Coach Schifino devoted 30 years of his life to  coaching baseball.  His Hayden Lobos were the State Runners-Up in 1955 and his Scottsdale Arcadia Titans were the State Runners-Up in 1961. One of Schifino's...Read more

Paul Petty was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Petty taught football at Hardin-Simmons University and New Mexico State University.  In the high school ranks, Paul coached at 3 schools in Texas, 6 schools in Arizona, 1 in New Mexico, and retired from...Read more

Royce Youree was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach Youree was a three year starter in basketball at Arizona State University from 1955-1958.  He was the first Sun Devil to score over 1,000 career points.  Youree sank two free throws with no time left to...Read more

Ray Mitokawa was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Ray was head football coach and athletic director for 24 years at Peoria and 2 years at Cactus High Schools.  His football teams were 134-63-10 during that span.  Coach Mitokawa's Panthers were the State Runner-...Read more

Dick McConnell is a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Coach McConnell's career lasted 42 years with 40 of those years in Arizona.  His record is an amazing 776-320 with 4 State Championships,  and 16 (yes, sixteen) appearances in the semifinals of the state...Read more

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