Photo

submitted

Dusty Dinnel (left) plans to go into coaching just like his father, Don (right), the former EHS head football coach. Don Dinnel will be enshrined in the Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame this summer. Coach Dinnel retired earlier this year after 31 years coaching high school football in Wyoming and Michigan. Dusty Dinnel will begin his coaching career next fall at Big Piney. Photo by Steve Kodad, Uinta County Herald.

Story submitted to WyoPreps By STEVE KODAD, Unita County Herald Sports Editor

Athletics can become a family affair, especially in the coaching ranks, as fathers pass down their love of sports to their children and grandchildren.

Evanston High School football coach Don Dinnel ended a distinguished 31-year career when he decided to step down earlier this year as head of the Red Devil program. Dinnel's accomplishments will be capped this summer with his induction into the Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Dinnel and four other coaches will officially join the WCA Hall of Fame during ceremonies in Casper July 25.

"It's a nice honor," Dinnel said. "It's a nice icing on the cake."

The Hall of Fame credentials are based on three criteria - years of service, coaching success and service to the WCA. Dinnel is well qualified in all three areas.

Dinnel began his coaching career as an assistant in Rawlins in 1977. He spent 10 years at the Carbon County school before taking a job in Michigan. After one year, he came back to Wyoming, accepting a position at Mountain View. After one season as an assistant on the Buffalos' football staff, Dinnel was promoted to head coach.

He was head coach of the Buffalos for 14 seasons, winning a pair of state championships with four other trips to the state title game. He spent two seasons at Rawlins as head coach, before moving to Evanston to take over the Red Devil gridiron program in 2005.

Dinnel took over an EHS team that had not had a winning season since 2000. After a 2-6 record in his first campaign, the Devils went 6-2 under Dinnel in 2006, including a 5-0 mark in South 5A Conference play and the regular-season league title.

Evanston advanced to the 5A state playoffs in 2006, where they lost to Cheyenne East in first-round action. The Devils finished the year with a 7-2 overall record.

The Devils went 6-2 during the regular season last fall to reach the 5A playoffs. EHS defeated Casper Kelly Walsh and Rock Springs to advance to the 5A title game against Cheyenne East. The Devils lost a 24-14 decision to the T-Birds.

The veteran coach worked in nine state championship games during his storied career. In addition to six state finals at Mountain View, Dinnel coached in state title games twice as an assistant in his first stop in Rawlins, plus last fall's EHS runner-up finish.

Dinnel said he has also coached nine times in the Wyoming Shrine Bowl, the annual all-star summer classic featuring top players from around the Cowboy State.

"Longevity is part of that," Dinnel said, about his Hall of Fame honor, "and, of course, when you're fortunate enough to have a little bit of success. The tough part getting in a lot of times is the service area. Football coaches have a little bit of an edge, because we have the Shrine Bowl game that counts. I've coached that nine times."

The Hall of Fame ceremony in late July will be part of the annual Wyoming Coaches Association clinics and all-star weekend in Casper.

Career highlights

Dinnel listed his nine trips to state championship games and his Shrine Bowl experiences as highlights during his coaching career.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of Dinnel's career was having his son, Dusty, along for the ride. Dusty played quarterback for the Buffalos under his dad during four of Mountain View's trips to state championship finals. Dusty also served as a volunteer assistant coach in Evanston for his father.

Like father, like son

Dusty Dinnel will follow in his father's footsteps. He will begin his coaching career next fall, with teaching and coaching assignments at Big Piney High School. Dusty will graduate next month from the University of Wyoming (see the story on a national award won by Dusty Dinnel on this page).

"I'm looking forward to going and watch Dusty coach up at Big Piney," Don said. "I'll kind of follow the Punchers now. I have to call Coach (Joel) Eskelson and get a Big Piney hat and a pullover. Dusty said it will probably say on there, '2001 state champions,' because they beat us in Mountain View.

"Ironic isn't it, one of Mountain View's biggest rivals in that conference, and Dusty ends up there. That's a good program up there. That's going to be a good situation for him."

Dusty will also follow in his grandfather's footsteps. Trish Dinnel, Don's wife, is the daughter of legendary EHS football coach Jerry Parker, who passed away several years ago.

"Big Piney, that's where Jerry Parker started coaching, my father-in-law," Don said. "He had an undefeated team up in Big Piney. So Dusty's kind of following grandpa. And Jerry Parker coached Coach (Kay) Fackrell here, so it's kinda neat."

Posthumous honors

The late Clarence Lammers of Mountain View will also be honored during the July festivities. Lammers, former superintendent of schools at Mountain View, will receive the Distinguished Service Award from the WCA.

"What's kind of neat is that Mr. Lammers getting the Distinguished Service Award this year," Don said. "The football stadium in Mountain View is named after him, and we coached some of his grandkids.

"He was already retired by the time I got to Mountain View. He was superintendent of schools there the same time my father-in-law was superintendent of schools here (in Evanston), so they knew each other a little bit.

"I never was formerly introduced to Mr. Lammers, but he was at a lot of our games because his grandkids were playing. He was very well respected over there in the Valley."

Continue teaching

Dinnel plans to continue teaching physical education classes at EHS next year. His wife also teaches at Davis Middle School.

"We can retire (from teaching) at the same time," Don said. "We get to teach at least one more year. It will be nice, we'll have a summer together."

In addition to following Dusty's teams at Big Piney next fall, Coach Dinnel said he also plans to root for the Red Devils.

"I just think so much of these kids that we have, and it will be hard to stay away," he said. "The kids have a good enthusiasm for football. I think these kids are looking forward to the football season next fall. It will be a good job for somebody."

Fond memories

In a story earlier this year when Coach Dinnel announced his retirement, he said he will carry a lot of fond memories from his career.

"Third-one years is a long time," he said. "There is not a lot of coaches who stay in it that long. Right now I have mixed emotions about some things, because this is who you are, and it's what you've done for so long.

"But when you look back, boy, we had some great kids at Mountain View, and we had some great teams. I worked with some great coaches there. I've worked with some great coaches here in Evanston, and had a couple really nice teams here, too.

"It's nice to leave with a smile on your face, and I definitely have a big smile. It's been a good run, it really has."

List of honorees

Joining Dinnel in this year's Hall of Fame induction class are Kathy Hamer-Smith, assistant track coach at Torrington; Glenn Freeburg, volleyball, basketball and track coach at Guernsey-Sunrise; Scott Smith, Powell High School track coach; and Tom Schrupp, golf and basketball coach at Gillette.

The other Distinguished Service Award honorees include: Scott McCash of the Wyoming High School Activities Association; John Gabrielson of Riverton, radio personality and coordinator of the web site: Wyopreps.com; and Dan Kelly, long-time sports volunteer in Casper.

*** If you know of other deserving Legends that are retiring, be sure to contact us at Wyopreps.com