Ramon "Ray" Barnes

Ray Barnes was an exceptionally successful wrestling coach at Puyallup High School from 1956-70. His Vikings teams won 115 dual matches with 36 losses and four ties. They won the South Puget Sound League championship five times and the West Central District title six times.

During the 1960s, Ray hosted the West Central District tournament at Puyallup and was a pioneer in forming the old South Puget Sound League. Subsequently he was inducted into the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986.

Ray later became the athletic director for the Puyallup School District as well as the SPSL Wrestling Commissioner. He was inducted into the state Athletic Directors Hall of Fame in 1991.

Born May 27, 1931 in York, Nebraska, Ray graduated from Puyallup High School in 1949. He participated in football and track for the Vikings, earning all-conference and all-state honors in football. He played two seasons of football at the University of Washington before transferring to Pacific Lutheran to finish his athletic career in 1952. A left guard and nose tackle, Ray was an honorable mention Little All American at PLC. He was first team all-conference, All-Northwest and All-Coast. He also coached football at Puyallup for 12 years.