Coach Graves with the 1990 East cross country team, which finished 4th at State that year.
When Don Graves first came to work at Des Moines Public Schools in 1959, as a PE teacher at Stowe Elementary School, personnel records were kept on index cards. Each year a new line was added to note information such as a teacher’s assigned school, subject matter, salary, continuing education and professional development.
East’s track & field team in 1990 finished 5th in the State under Coach Graves.
After more than four decades of service at DMPS, Graves filled up five such cards as a teacher at Stowe, Bird and Hiatt schools followed by several years as the school-community liaison at East High School before retiring in 2000.
In addition to his long career inside the school building, however, he was also a trailblazing multi-sport coach for more than 40 years, most notably on the track. On December 3, Coach Graves long and successful career was honored by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches as an inductee into their Hall of Fame.
The Tech High track & field team in 1968; the school earned multiple State titles when Graves was an assistant coach.
“DMPS was fortunate to have someone like Don Graves working with so many students over so many years,” said Teree Caldwell-Johnson, chair of the Des Moines School Board. “On behalf of the School Board and everyone at DMPS, we congratulate him on being honored for his distinguished coaching career.”
The North High School football team in 1965; Graves became the first Black coach at DMPS when he became the team’s assistant coach.
Graves himself was an outstanding athlete at Tech High School and Iowa State University. In high school he earned All-City honors in football and won conference, Drake Relays and State meet medals in track & field. He went on to attend ISU on a full track & field scholarship, earning All-Conference accolades numerous times, including a Big 7 gold medal in the 60-meter dash and the Mile Relay as well as a Drake Relays title in the 440 yard relay.
After graduating college, and before joining DMPS, Graves spent a year teaching at the Randall, Iowa school district (now part of South Hamilton County). There, he became the first Black high school head coach in Iowa, leading both the school’s baseball and basketball teams.
When he moved to Des Moines, Graves continued coaching, a role he wouldn’t relinquish until retirement 41 years later.
His first stint was at North High School, where he was an assistant football coach and the first-ever Black coach at DMPS. In 1960 he became an assistant track and field coach at his alma mater, Tech High. During his years at Tech, he helped guide the Engineers to three state team titles, three team runner up finishes, 13 individual state titles and 10 relay gold medals.
In 1973, Graves arrived at what would be his work home for the next 27 years: East High School. There he coached track & field and cross country for the Scarlets, holding on to the whistle and stop watch until the year 2000. Over the years he coached five individual state meet winners in track and field and one in cross country. The Scarlets also won four state relays titles and four Drake Relays crowns, including setting two Drake Relays and state meet records. In total, his student-athletes won 327 conference, district, or state individual or relay titles.
“Educators and coaches make a difference in the lives of so many young people, and Don Graves did that in both roles,” added Jason Allen, director of activities at DMPS. “Our school district is fortunate to have had and continue to have people like Coach Graves who dedicate their careers to supporting our students.”
For all of the accolades Coach Graves has received as an athlete and coach, last month he shared in a milestone that also deserves our congratulations: Don and his wife Mary Jane – herself a retired teacher – marked their 66th wedding anniversary.
