Allen Darby
Football (1955-56)
Basketball (1955-58)
Baseball (1955-58)

Al Darby was a true “Wildcat” and competed with the same intensity at Chico State that he took into the coaching ranks. Upon completion of a highly successful high school playing career at Durham HS, where he earned all-league honors in football, basketball, track and baseball, Al headed for Chico State. While at Chico, he competed in two years of football, and four years each in basketball and baseball. In addition, he served as president of the Block C Society.

After college, Al started a long and rewarding high school teaching and coaching career which covered over 40 years. Although he started at Westwood HS, he spent much of his career in Chico at Pleasant Valley and Chico High schools. His coaching also included Hamilton City High, but wherever he coached, he worked hard at instilling discipline and a winning attitude.

Along the way, Al found time to officiate football and basketball, and spent many years at both the high school and junior college level. Few coaches officiate their sport, and this certainly provided Al with an appreciation of what is involved from that point of view.

Al’s coaching highlights include his years with semipro football for the Twin-Cities Cougars. This was “professional” football, highly competitive, and Al enjoyed great success at this level. His teams competed for championships every year, and in 1981, he was honored by being named head coach of the West team that played in the first semipro all-star game. That same year, Al was inducted into the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame. His coaching record of 54 wins and 10 losses is recognized as the top mark in semipro football. Al later moved on to coach wide receivers and tight ends for the Oakland Invaders under head coach John Ralston. From 1982-83, Al also served as the west coast area scout for the Kansas City Chiefs.