Hall of Fame
The career of Donald A. Faris, Class of 1932, is a textbook example of how a hard working teacher and coach can crowd 25 hours of productive work into each 24-hour day. In high school days at Vinton, Don earned four letters in both basketball and track. He was captain of a state tournament team and was chosen All-State as a senior. At Coe he played basketball three years and was captain of the 1931-32 team. He also played two years of football and was on the Conference championship tennis team in 1931. He began a long and distinguished teaching, coaching and administrative career in Iowa schools at Steamboat Rock where he taught science and math and coached boys' basketball. He moved to Wellsburg where he taught science and math and was the principal of the high school. He coached both boy's and girls athletics and in 1936 he took both his boy's and girls' team to the State Basketball Tournament. His girls team also made the State Tournament in 1937 and 1939. In Olin, from 1939 to 1943, he continued his service to students as he taught physics and general science and was high school principal. He also coached the girls basketball team which went to the State Tournament twice. In the first of two tours of duty at Belmond he was the principal of the high school and taught physics and general science. For two years at Seymour, he was superintendent of schools, taught science and math, coached football and boys and girls basketball, including a girls State Basketball Champion in 1947. In the relaxing days of spring he also coached boys track. In 1947 Don Faris returned to Belmond and served as superintendent of schools for 23 years. His long service to that community was recognized when the Belmond School District named the high school's athletic field and stadium Faris Field and Stadium. In 1969 the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union awarded him their treasured Golden Plaque of Distinction. Don Faris' career of dedicated, committed service to education and sports reflects what Coe College hopes for from its student-athletes. It is a pleasure to review his ceaseless work on behalf of students as we induct him posthumously into the Kohawk Athletic Hall of Fame.
