Don Young - Inducted 2002

1933 Edgemont High grad. 1940 Black Hills State grad. Young's name is synonymous with Black Hills State, where he spent almost 50 years as a coach, teacher and administrator. A coach who loved football, spent endless hours diagramming plays and creating new formations while demonstrating unbridled enthusiasm for the game, Young was first and foremost a teacher and mentor to countless students as well as active coaches. Young led Edgemont High to the mythical Black Hills football title in 1931 and ?32. Unable to attend college during the early Depression years, he postponed his coaching aspirations until 1935, when BHSU (then Spearfish Normal) coach Paul Rose offered him a bed in the gym and a job waiting tables at a boarding house and clerking at a grocery store. Young was a three-sport athlete at BHSU. A 150-pound left halfback, Young led the Yellowjackets to an unbeaten season in 1935 and conference titles in '35 and '36. He was captain of the football team in 1937, and he was captain of the basketball team in 1940. Young began his coaching career at Spearfish High School, where he coached football, basketball and track from 1946-48. He came to BHSU as a coach/teacher in 1948. He was football, basketball and track coach from 1948-51, and he coached the football and track teams from 1953-58. From 1961-66 he was an assistant football coach, and he was head coach during the 1967 season. Young is a member of the Black Hills State and South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference Halls of Fame.