Dale Hughes certainly isn’t one for flash, pizazz and excessive pageantry. In fact, he’s about as mellow, humble and down-to-earth as can be. Yet, Hollywood’s most creative writers likely couldn’t have conceived of a more dramatic end to his decorated coaching career.
Hughes concluded a 24-year career as a high school varsity assistant baseball coach on June 1 by helping Eaton’s baseball team finish a 28-0 season with its fourth consecutive state title. About 7 1/2 months earlier, he served his final game as the Reds’ softball head coach, engineering a 28-1 season and securing the program’s second consecutive state title. He was the coach of that program since 2003.
For a coach that was hardly ever flashy, he was showered with well-deserved gold in his finals months coaching at the high school level. “I just thought it was the right time,” Hughes said of his retirement, adding that he first started pondering retirement about a year ago. Hughes is also retired from his job with Weber Distributing Company.
He and his wife of nearly 48 years, Donna, recently sold their home in Eaton and plan to move to picturesque St. George, Utah, at the end of the month. The move will allow the couple to finally escape Colorado’s cold winters and windy springs.
But, as excited as he and his wife are for the next chapter of their lives, by no means does Dale Hughes leave Eaton without a heavy heart and a treasure chest full of fond memories. “It’s different when you’re.
