Drake Relays, state meet and conference titles as a high school athlete. Drake Relays and conference meet gold medals as a collegian. Drake Relays wins and records, conference team titles, state meet wins, state meet trophies, and state meet records as a coach. These are the type of accolades you will find listed in the bios of our IATC Hall of Fame Coaches and athletes.
Don Graves achieved all the above as an athlete at Des Moines Tech and Iowa State and as an assistant coach at Tech and the head Coach at DM East.
He was an outstanding athlete at Tech earning All City honors in Football and winning Conference titles and Drake Relays and State meet medals in Track and Field. He once was a part of 8 Tech school records.
After graduating from Tech, Don attended Iowa State on a full ride Track and Field scholarship, earning All-Conference accolades numerous times, including a Big 7 gold medal in the 60-meter dash and the Mile Relay plus a Drake Relays title in the 440 yard relay.
Don Graves’ personal athletic accomplishments are quite impressive, but it is what he accomplished off the track and playing field, that sets him apart from the rest of us.
You see, coach Graves is an African American. In the 1950’s African Americans faced many obstacles along the path to success, and sadly, many of those same obstacles are still being dealt with today.
But Don Graves is a competitor. An over comer. A winner.
When he graduated from Tech in 1953, we were still 10 years from a Civil Rights movement in our county.
Upon graduating at the semester break, from ISU in 1957, with a degree in Men’s Physical Education, Graves began applying for jobs.
On December 4, 1957, the Randall, Iowa, school Superintendent, called Graves to set up an interview and before hanging up, Graves said, “By the way do you know I am a Negro”? The Superintendent said he did not, but for Don to come in anyway.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Graves was offered a job on the spot and his hiring was approved by the school board with ZERO objections.
The twenty-two-year-old Graves taught Social Studies, American History and Problems with American Democracy and coached Boys and Girls Junior High and High School basketball teams plus baseball, making him the first black Iowa high school head coach in any sport…..EVER!
After spending a year and a half at Randall, Coach Graves became the first black coach, at any level, in the history of the Des Moines Public School System, when he was hired as an Assistant football coach at North High beginning in 1959.
He became an Assistant track coach at Tech High in 1960 and held that position until 1973.
And finally, he became the 1st black head coach in the history in the Des Moines school system when he was named the Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach at DM East and was there from 1973 to 2000.
His coaching career spanned 42 years, with the last 40 coming in his hometown.
At Tech, he helped guide the Engineers to 3 state team titles, 3 team runner up finishes, 13 individual state titles and 10 relay gold medals.
As the Head Coach at Des Moines East, the Scarlets were twice a state track and field team runner-up. He coached 5 individual state meet winners in track and field and 1 in cross country. During his tenure, East also won 4 state relays golds and 4 Drake Relays crowns, along with setting 2 Drake Relays and state meet records.
His athletes were conference, district, or city, individual or relay champions 327 times while winning 4 conference team titles.
Coach Graves and Mary Jane, his wife of 66 years, have two children, Donna Burkett and Donald Graves II as well as 5 grandchildren.
Coach Graves you are role model and inspiration for all, and we thank you for your commitment and dedication the great sports of Track and Field and Cross Country.