Year Inducted: 2000
Nominated By: Hoy Frakes/John Rivas
Sports Competed In: Auto Racing
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach
William B. Hodges
High School:
Attended Pueblo Central H.S. and graduated in 1965.
College:
Went to Southern Colorado State College (SCSC), graduating in 1970...Obtained two Masters Degrees, one from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO (1978) and Adams State College (1989).
Coaching Career:
Spent seven years (1974-80) as an assistant football coach at Manzanola H.S. before becoming the head coach in 1981 and continuing in that capacity for 14 years (1981-94)...Spent two years (1970-72) as a volunteer assistant wrestling and baseball coach at Pueblo Centennial H.S., before taking over the program in Manzanola in 1974 for the next 20+ years...Also coached basketball (1975), baseball - assistant (six years: 1975-80) and head coach (four years: 1981-84) and track (head coach for four years:1990-93) where he posted a meet record of 57-20 (.524 winning percentage) at Manzanola H.S.
Accomplishments:
Football coach at Manzanola H.S.:
● Selected as Colorado Sidelines 8-man "Coach-of-the-Year" (1982).
● Team - State Semi-finalist (1982).
● Selected as Division III "Coach-of-the-Year" (1982).
● Made the state playoffs (1990).
● Selected to coach East-West All Star Game (1991).
● Selected Fisher Peak League "Coach-of-the-Year" (1992).
● Selected to coach 6-man/8-man All State game (1993).
● Elected President of Division III 8-man Football from 1986-1987.
● Coached All American Garrett Neugebauer (1991).
● Career Record: 33-30-0 (.524 winning percentage).
Wrestling coach at Manzanola H.S.:
● Selected to coach North-South All State Dual (1979).
● Coached 12 individual State Champions.
● Coached three individual State Runner-ups.
● Coached 38 individual State place winners.
● Coached two State A-AA Outstanding Wrestlers (Matt Martinez 1978 & Jonah Olguin 1990).
● Coached five All American wrestlers - Hank Finch 1985, Jonah Olguin 1991 (two time) Thaddeus Olguin 1994, & William Hillyer 1994.
● Coached three District Championship Teams (1976, 1977, 1981).
● Coached three District 2nd Place Teams (1978, 1982, 1990).
● Coached four District 3rd Place Teams (1979, 1982, 1990).
● Coached nine teams who finished in the Top-10 in the state.
● Coached four wrestlers who wrestled at the High School National Wrestling Championships.
● Coached 35 District Champs and eight Regional Champs.
● Dual Meet Record 106-61-0 (.623 Average).
Related Activities:
Spent eight years (1966-72 and 1982-83) as a driver on the Beacon Hill Speedway circuit...Scored the most season points at Beacon Hill in 1970 and was the Hobby Stock Track Champion...Finished fourth in the season points total standing at Beacon Hill and Colorado Springs Raceway (1971)...Bill also drove at Sportsman Park in Colorado Springs and Englewood Speedway in Denver for three seasons (1970-72)...He worked as a Corner Flag Man from 1972-77, Head Flag Man (1981-82) and on the Technical Committee for 11 years (1970-80)... Spent five years in on a pit crew at Beacon Hill (1977-83).
Contributions:
Southeast Division Director of the Colorado High School Wrestling Coaches Association (CHSWCA) for 11 years (1970-80), the athletic director at both Manzanola Jr. High School and Manzanola High School since 1986 and worked on the Colorado State Wrestling Committee from 1989-83...He also was elected in 1993 to the State Board of Control for Colorado High Schools Activity Association (CHSAA).
Occupation:
Worked as a teacher, and coach in Manzanola, CO.
Personal:
Lived in Rocky Ford, CO with his wife, Geri Ann... Passed away on Feb. 9, 2020.
