Tom Wheatley

Sport: Football

School at Time of Induction: Agua Fria/North Canyon

Year of Induction: 2000

Tom Wheatley was an outstanding high school football coach in the West Valley area of Phoenix for 20 years.  Coach Wheatley was well known for his work ethic and attention to detail.  His assistant coaches would often be asleep on his couch watching weekend films.  All the hard work paid off.  Coach Wheatley's Agua Fria Owls were three-time Class 4A State Football Champions in 1988, 1989, and 1991.  The 1989 game with Tempe Union was a hard-fought tie (10-10) for a Co-Championship.  The 1986 Owls were the State Runners-Up to Peoria in a very close 29-23 final score.  Coach Tom moved on to the  Paradise Valley School District at the new  North Canyon High School to finish his career.  Tom Wheatley passed away on October 19, 2020.  He is survived by his wife Nikki and daughter Erin.  One of Tom's assistants, Jeff Bowen, went on to be the head football coach at Agua Fria, West View, North Canyon High Schools, and later Arizona Christian University. There will be a perpetual memorial scholarship in Tom Wheatley's name established by the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the National Football Hall of Fame.