1962-63 Dixie State
Men’s Basketball team, Head Coach Dough Allred (center) and Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland (far right).
Most students at Dixie State University are
familiar with the name of Jeffrey R. Holland. His name graces the newest and
largest building on campus, and for those of the LDS faith he is a revered
leader as one of the churches Apostles. However, in the early sixties, he was a
recently returned LDS missionary who went by Jeff and was looking forward to
starting school at Dixie College. Holland had stared locally as a basketball
player at Dixie High School and had been recruited prior to his mission to play
for the college. However, upon returning, he decided not to pursue basketball
and instead focus on his education. That all changed when he met first year
head coach Doug Allred.
Coach Allred persuaded Holland to stay with
the program, and subsequently Holland was named co-captain his first year on
the team and played during his years at the college.
Former Dixie State
Head Coach Doug Allred (left) and former player Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
(right).
This past weekend Holland and many other
former players, friends and associates honored Coach Allred and the 15 years he
spent as the men’s basketball coach and then 18 years as the athletic director.
“Dixie College was unusually good to me,
“Allred said. “It provided me with very good experiences. We got great support
from the city of St. George and surrounding communities, which left me with a
lot of fond memories. My emotional ties to Dixie run deep and my blood runs
Dixie red.”
Coach Allred’s teams won the NJCAA Region
One Championship twice and won four Intermountain Collegiate Athletic
Conference titles during his time on the bench. Not only did his players
perform on the court, they also got the job done in the classroom, having never
had a student athlete declared academically ineligible during his years as head
coach.
Former players also in attendance to honor
Coach Allred included NBA champion, all-star and former NBA coach; Lionel
Hollins. Another former player in attendance was one time CEO of Black &
Decker, Nolan Archibald, who went on to play at Weber State and later in the
NBA.
“I’m particularly thrilled to represent all
of those colleagues, Coach, for this one chance to say that we all love you,”
said Holland. “We’ll always be Doug Allred’s kids.”
The weekend’s events were capped off during
a ceremony at half time of the men’s basketball game against Cal Baptist where
Dixie State University President Richard “Biff” Williams presented Allred with
a signed basketball from the former players in attendance.
For video on the weekends events honoring
Coach Doug Allred, go to www.southernutahlive.com.
Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland (center) and Lionel Hollins (right) speaking at a dinner honoring Coach
Doug Allred
Current Dixie State Athletic Director
Jason Booth (left), former Head Coach Doug Allred (center) and University
President Richard “Biff” Williams (right) at the half time of Dixie State and
Cal Baptist game.
