RAPLH ARANZA

Merit Award Recipient
​Honored in 2022

Ralph Aranza was honored with the Merit Award at the SHSAA Packer Sports Greats ceremony in 2022.

After graduating South in 1955, Ralph attended Peru State College and received a bachelor's degree in education in 1959. While at Peru, he played and lettered in both baseball and football.  He then attended Northwest Missouri State University and obtained his master’s in education.

He began teaching physical education, driver’s education and Spanish at New Market, Iowa’s high school. His coaching duties included football, basketball, and baseball. While there he coached one All-Southwest Iowa football player and one All-Southwest Iowa basketball player. He moved to Hamburg, Iowa and continued his teaching and coaching career. The sports he now coached were HS basketball and baseball along with junior high football and track. This time he had 2 All-Southwest Iowa basketball players.  His 1974-75 basketball team was the Southwest Iowa Class 1A Champions (21-1). In 1985, he received the Junior High Coach of the Year from the Iowa Coaches Association.

He has been married to Kathleen (Moore)-1955 for 62 years. They have three children and four grandchildren.