| David C. Houle | |
| Birth Date: | 1953 |
| Birth Place: | Dugway, Utah |
David C. Houle, born in 1953 in Dugway, Utah, is a prominent high school coach in the United States known for his extensive success in girls' basketball, track, and cross-country. Houle has achieved over 1,000 victories throughout his coaching career, which includes an impressive tally of 68 state championships and 7 national championships.
Houle commenced his coaching career at the age of 12 in 1965 and has since been recognized for his achievements by being inducted into the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[1] Houle accumulated numerous state championships, earning recognition from USA Today as one of the most successful high school coaches in America.[2]
He contributed to Mountain View High School (Utah) athletes' success in boys' and girls' track and cross-country, as well as girls' basketball, securing a total of 68 state championships and numerous regional trophies. In 2002, following the boys' cross-country national title, he received the Coach of the Year award. His athletes were recognized for their sportsmanship and community service in Orem City.
Houle resigned in 2006 amid allegations of inappropriate conduct during a road trip with his basketball team.[3] Houle reportedly permitted two girls, who were allegedly unwell, to sleep in his room while he patrolled the hotel lobby throughout the night to keep them separated from the rest of the team. This action violated several rules regarding team members' use of his hotel room. Despite receiving aggressive recruitment offers from other schools during his coaching tenure, Houle chose to remain dedicated to his passion and later transitioned to working at a nearby private school.
In his concluding days as a coach, Houle remarked, "I'm 52, and I hope to die at 92, so I have 40 good years left of coaching." Currently, Houle resides in American Fork, Utah.
Houle served as the coach for the junior varsity basketball team at Southern Utah University from 1976 to 1977.
Houle coached high school football at Milford High School from 1977 to 1978.
Houle coached football and basketball at Carbon High School from 1978 to 1979.
Houle served as a football coach at the College of Eastern Utah from 1978 to 1979.
During his tenure at Mountain View High School (Utah) from 1980 to 2006, the athletic program gained recognition on a national scale. The school achieved national championships in boys' cross-country (3) and girls' cross-country (3). Additionally, they secured an ESPN National Championship in girls' basketball in 2001. The program also set numerous national records, contributing to its widespread recognition across the country.
From 2007 to 2009, Houle served as an assistant track coach at Utah Valley University.[4]
From 2010 to 2011, Houle worked as an assistant men's basketball coach at Kennesaw State University.[5]
Dale Rex Dale Rex Award