Darold Talley

Darold Talley recorded athletic and coaching achievements for decades across multiple sports. Here, he is honored for his longest continuous service as a track and field coach at Clover Park High School from 1959 through 1982 and cross country coach from 1965-82.

Talley was an all-state high school football player at R.A. Long High School in Lonview who played defensive end at the University of Washington, graduating in 1952. He coached football, baseball, basketball and track at Centralia College for four years, then football at Whittier College for three seasons before being hired at Clover Park in 1959.

His 1968 boys track and field and cross country teams both won the state championship. Talley coached Mac Wilkins who went on to win Olympic gold in the discus at the 1976 summer games in Montreal and silver at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Darold also coached wrestling and football at Clover Park and officiated local football and basketball games. He was a physical education teacher for 16 years at Clover Park. He later became the Clover Park athletic director and then school district athletic director before retiring in 1985. Darold was instrumental in the planning and construction of Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood during his tenure as district athletic director. He was born November 28, 1929 in St. Helens, Oregon and graduated from R.A. Long High School in Longview in 1948. Talley, who was married to Jackie for 34 years, died at age 72 in December 2001 after a long fight with cancer and Parkinson's disease.