Richard Sanchez

Inducted: 2024

Sport: Football and Wrestling

School: Sunnyside

Richard Sanchez has coached both wrestling and football throughout the past 42 years. He coached at Sunnyside high school in Tucson, Arizona from 1981 to 2010. After assisting head wrestling coach Don Klostreich from 1981 to 1989, he became head coach in 1990 Upon Klostreich’ s departure. Richard also coached Football as an assistant from 1981 to 1990. He became head football coach in 1993. During his head coaching career his teams earned 7 state championships in 2 sports: 5 in Wrestling and 2 in Football.  Sunnyside HS football reached the state championships game four times winning in 2001 and 2003. His 2001 State Championship football team was the first in Sunnyside history to win a title. The Sunnyside Blue Devil Football team’s overall record was 161- 53 during Sanchez’ tenure. He also won 8 State championships as the assistant coach for wrestling. For the past 3 years Sanchez has been an assistant football coach under coach Pat Nugent at Mica Mountain High School where he coaches the offensive line. This past year (2024) the team went 14-0 and won the 4A State Championship.  Sanchez has also had short coaching stints at Santa Rita High School and Tucson High School.

He has earned region coach of the year honors as well as division coach of the year honors several times in both wrestling and football. In 2001 he was named Barry Sollenberger Prep Magazine COY and in 2003 named Arizona Republic COY.  During his coaching tenure, Coach Sanchez served as president of the Arizona Football Coaches Association (AzFCA) in 2002-2004. He coached the All-Star football game in 2002 in the only all-star game in which the 4A played the 5A team with the 4A squad winning.  In addition, he has served on the AzFCA board and conducted many youth football camps and coaching clinics.chez