Coaching
- Don started coaching basketball in 1970 as a freshman coach
- Fall of 1973 he became the Varsity assistant
- 1977 he became the head coach until 1985
- Was named conference coach of the year two times and district coach of the year once
- Made the school’s first state tournament appearance in 1980
Leadership
- In 1978 was voted to the IBCA Board of Directors and also helped with his first all-star game for the IBCA
- Was their president in 1981-82
- Developed and published the first state Newsletter
- Developed the Academic All-State team and eventually became chairperson of the All-Star contest
- In 1983 was named the Executive Director of the IBCA
- Continued coaching basketball until the Executive Director’s job became too large to do along with coaching
- Retired from active basketball coaching in 1998
- Has taken teams to Australia and Ireland (both went undefeated)
- Has done clinics nationally as well as in Russia
- Was an assistant coach in the 1999 McDonald’s All-American game
- Has published five articles on basketball building blocks and motivation
As Executive Director, the IBCA has grown from 890 members and a fall clinic of under 400 in 1983 to over 3,300 members and a fall clinic that averages well over one thousand coaches annually.
Don was part of the Section 5 meetings that has now grown to the NHSBCA and Iowa has been a catalyst in helping numerous other states develop their clinics, coaches associations, and redefine their processes.
Don feels his “best work” has come in educating coaches and players through clinics, all-star games, and interstate and international contests.
This marks his 34th year of service to the IBCA and High School basketball, and 29th as the Executive Director in Iowa. The Iowa High School Athletic Association has named an award in his honor that is given annually to someone who has served High School basketball with distinction.
