BILL FARTHING AWARD WINNERS

The Bill Farthing Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to a deserving person that has provided Local, State, and National Service within the Wyoming Coaches Association.

**Local Service
Bill Farthing, a Lander native served Morton High School as an assistant coach in three sports from 1958 until 1960. Mr. Farthing moved to Powell in 1960 where he taught mathematics and was head track coach until 1976, assistant football coach 1960-1973; assistant basketball coach 1960-65, head football coach 1974 thru 1975.

**State Service
Bill, along with Keith Bloom, wrote the Wyoming Coaches Association constitution and started the WCA “Coach of the Year” with awards going to Football, Boys Basketball, Wrestling, and Track. He was instrumental in establishing the Sports Representatives that serve on the Wyoming Coaches Association Board of Directors so that the important lines of communication could be maintained. He served as the Executive Secretary of the Wyoming Coaches Association from 1964 to 1966. He also made arrangements with the Wyoming High School Activities Association so that members could receive passes to the State Basketball and Wrestling Tournaments. Bill was instrumental in recruiting the coaches of Wyoming to join the WCA and was able to increase the membership from 50 in 1964 to 200 by 1966. Bill was a part of the committee that established the Wyoming Coaches Association “Hall of Fame” in 1983 and 1984.

**National High School Athletic Coaches Association Service
Bill was appointed as a District 7 Executive Committee Member in 1967, and served on the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Executive Committee from 1967 to 1974.

Bill worked thru the vice-presidential offices and served as the President of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 1972-73. He was instrumental in guiding the Wyoming Coaches Association and the Wyoming High School Activities Association to host the National Conference and Clinic in Jackson, Wyoming in 1973. He led the way in establishing the Coach of the Year “mini-clinics” that the NHSACA continues to use today.

Bill left the education profession in 1976 to help his parents with their real estate business.

The annual award winner is determined, in large part, by a rubric that includes Local, State, and National Level Service.