Horrace Smith & Rick Traasdahl

Horrace Smith and Rick Traasdahl are two of most successful educators and coaches in Southern Nevada.

During his high school and collegiate career, Smith was both an outstanding student and athlete. A three-sport star at Las Vegas High School in football, basketball and track, he matriculated to Brigham Young University. His position coach at the time was the great LaVell Edwards, and he played tight end on the school’s first WAC Championship team.

Smith returned to Las Vegas and had a tremendous career building the character of young men and women as a coach, teacher and administrator. He served as the head coach at Western High School from 1973-84, winning more than 100 games. He also led Bonanza High School from 1985-90, taking a winless team to 9-2 and playoff appearance in his second season. More than 100 of his student-athletes went on to play at the major collegiate level, including Frank Hawkins and Jamal Willis.

In addition to coaching football, he also coached bowling, softball, volleyball, basketball and baseball, while becoming the first women’s track coach at Western. Smith also served as dean and assistant principal at Rancho High School and the principal at Basic High School. For his accomplishments, Smith is a member of the NIAA Hall of Fame and the Southern Nevada Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

Traasdahl grew up in Boulder City and graduated from Las Vegas High School where he was known as an excellent athlete as three-year letterman in both football and baseball. From there, he earned his B.A. from Southern Utah University in physical education and zoology, while playing both guard and linebacker. He was the first four-year NAIA All-American and his #60 jersey is retired today. Following his career as an athlete and student, he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

It was at SUU where he met the love of his life, Susan Jane. They married March 22, 1969. Rick then earned his master’s degree from Northern Arizona University, while simultaneously serving in the National Guard until 1972.

Traasdahl was a life-long teacher and coach in the Clark County School District for 30 years. He shaped many lives both on and off the field and will always be remembered as "coach" by students and friends. He coached and taught at Clark High School, Valley High School, Western High School and Bonanza High School during his career. But family was always the most important part of his life. He resigned from coaching in 1996 to devote time to his son, Eddie, after his automobile accident.

During his career, Traasdahl was a member of a multitude of state and national football organizations including the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. In 1995, he was awarded Educator of the Year by Reader’s Digest. Upon retiring from teaching and coaching, he worked with Peccole Nevada and Total Safety Incorporated Security.