Sam Ballard To Be Inducted into Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame
Whether it's a touchdown pass or a game-winning jumper at the buzzer, there is usually a good coach behind it all. The same can be said for Mesa Community College men's basketball head coach Sam Ballard, who was recently announced to this year's class of the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame for his many achievements during his 23-year high school coaching career.
After beginning his career in basketball as a standout player at East Phoenix High School and eventually taking his talents to the University of Wyoming and overseas, Ballard returned to Arizona to become the head coach at the Judson School in Paradise Valley in 1978.
In his second season at the helm, Judson won the 1980 Arizona Independent Athletic Association state championship and Ballard was awarded the honor of AIAA Coach of the Year.
Ballard left the Judson School in 1981 and after working as an assistant at a number of high schools and colleges over the next few years, he returned to the head coaching circuit in 1990 when he took the head job at Camelback High School. During his time at Camelback, Ballard garnered a record of 107-69 and was even awarded as the 1995 Metro Region Coach of the Year.
After seven years at Camelback, Ballard took the head coaching position at Mountain Pointe High School in 1997. In his ten years at Mountain Pointe, Ballard and the Pride went 171-90 and he earned the 5A Central Region Coach of the Year honor on four separate occasions (1998, 2001, 2004 & 2005). He was also the coach of the year in 1998 by both the Arizona Republic and East Valley Tribune and earned the same honor from ArizonaVarsity.com in 2006.
In total, Ballard's squads at each of his stops garnered 339 total wins, four Central Region championships, seven elite eight appearances, three final four appearances and one state championship.
For a man with countless coaching accomplishments, he gives credit to the greats like John Wooden, Dean Smith and Bobby Knight, but his former coach at East Phoenix, Royce Youree, stands on his own as an inspiration for Ballard.
"Certainly Royce Youree…He's a great coach, great man, great friend and colleague," said Ballard.
"He's been with me the whole way. I was very much inspired by him in high school, and even though I didn't think I'd go into coaching at the time, he was always a mentor for me."
When it comes to the game of basketball, Ballard has so many memories that he is just blessed to have experienced them, but it was his playing days back in France that started it all.
"Basketball has been my whole life. I met my wife Brigitte in France, who also played basketball, and we've been married for almost 41 years. Playing overseas, meeting my wife and raising three great kids, that's my most fulfilling experience," said Ballard. "The game has been really good to me. I know it has it's ups and downs, but every significant thing in my life has been somewhat related to basketball."
From state titles and final fours to awards and honors, being inducted in the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame may be the most cherished one of them all for Ballard.
"I'm an Arizona guy, born and raised, through and through…I've just grown up in sports in Arizona my whole life, and to me, I can't think of a greater thing than to be put into that group of people of Arizona Hall of Fame coaches. I can't imagine anything better than that. I never saw it coming really, just thrilled and humbled."
Joining Ballard in the Class of 2016 will be Brophy's Tom Succow (Baseball), Chandler's Lois Emshoff (Badmiton), Ironwood's Tim Beck (Soccer), and Chaparral's Joe English (Girls Basketball).
Each of them will be recognized for their coaching accomplishments at the hall of fame induction ceremony on April 24, 2016 at the Phoenix Elks Lodge #335 with the ceremony to begin at 1:15 p.m. MST.