Two longtime Gila Valley coaching figures, Don Conrad and Digger O’Dell, will be honored in 2026 with induction into the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame, an organization dedicated to supporting the educational, leadership, discipline, and social benefits of athletics in Arizona’s secondary schools.
Former Thatcher High School coach Conrad and veteran wrestling coach O’Dell were selected for induction following careers that spanned decades in education, coaching, and athletic leadership across the state.
Former Thatcher High School coach Don Conrad has been selected for induction following a career that spanned nearly five decades in education, coaching, and athletic administration.
Conrad began his career in education in 1972 following a standout playing career as a linebacker at Southern Utah State College, now Southern Utah University.
He retired in 2021 after 48 years in education. His later years at Thatcher High School included service as dean of students and athletic director from 2012 to 2018, along with continued involvement in the school’s athletic programs.
As head football coach, Conrad led Thatcher to Arizona Class 2A state championships in 2000, 2001, and 2006. His teams also captured seven regional titles during his tenure. He assumed leadership of the football program in 2000 after previously serving as an assistant coach while leading the baseball program.
Conrad’s baseball teams reached the Arizona Class 2A state championship game in back-to-back seasons in 2000 and 2001. He also coached the Thatcher golf program.
He joined Thatcher High School in 1995 as head baseball coach and football assistant. Prior to his arrival in the Gila Valley, Conrad held head coaching positions at Cyprus High School in Utah and coached at the collegiate level at Southern Utah State College and Eastern Arizona College.
Conrad received multiple statewide honors, including Arizona Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2001 and Arizona Republic Small School Coach of the Year in 2006, along with several regional coach of the year awards.
Also being inducted in 2026 is legendary wrestling coach Digger O’Dell, whose career combined military service, education, and decades of success on the mat.
O’Dell served 13 months in Vietnam and earned two Purple Hearts. He later used the G.I. Bill to attend Eastern Arizona Junior College, where he played football and wrestled, before completing his degree in special education at Arizona State University.
He began his coaching career at Thatcher High School as head wrestling coach and assistant football coach. His career later included coaching stops at Round Valley, Kearny Ray, Show Low, Pima, and Queen Creek Junior High School.
O’Dell spent 25 years at Pima High School, where his teams won the 1996 state wrestling championship and earned additional podium finishes. The annual invitational wrestling tournament in Pima now carries his name.
Over his career, O’Dell recorded 315 wins with a 75 percent winning percentage, won eight regional championships, and was named conference coach of the year three times. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015 and also served as an AIA state wrestling tournament director, official, and legislative council member. In 2025, he was selected as grand marshal of the Arizona State Wrestling Tournament.
The Hall of Fame induction banquet is scheduled for Sunday, April 26, 2026.
