It’s likely nobody knows more about the Carson-Douglas rivalry than Bob Bateman, who spent plenty of time on both sides of that battle.
But the Carson-Douglas rivalry was just one of many facets in Bateman’s long, distinguished and successful career as a coach, education, administrator and tournament director. Bateman was honored for his long, distinguished career when he was officially inducted into the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Hall of Fame.
Another Hall of Fame honoree on Thursday from Carson City was Paul Gray, who played for Carson High’s 1975 state championship basketball team and went onto a successful coaching career at Reed High in Sparks.
Few, if any, in the Hall of Fame have the credentials of Bateman, who made his mark as a head coach, assistant coach, athletic director and tournament director over more than 40 years in Nevada.
Bateman came to Nevada at Carson High in 1977, but then moved to rival Douglas where he served as an assistant football coach from 1981 to 1992.
Then in 1993 started an era of more than 20 years in which Bateman was part some of the most successful seasons ever at Carson and Douglas.
Bateman served as the head football coach at Carson from 1993 to 1998, leading the Senators to a 9-2 mark in 1995 in which he was named 4A Northern Zone Coach of the Year and the school’s first 4A league title in 1998.
In 2001 he returned to Douglas as Mike Rippee’s top assistant football coach, helping to lead the Tigers to one of their most successful eras over the next seven seasons.
Then back to Carson where as Blair Roman’s top assistant football coach where he helped lead the Senators to some of their most sustained success ever from 2008 to 2013. During that span, the Senators won four league titles and were zone runners-up three times.
While he was an assistant football coach at Douglas in the fall during his first tenure, he returned to coach track at Carson in the spring. Bateman coached Carson to two state titles in girls track in 1982 and 1987.
Bateman went on to serve as Carson’s athletic director from 2009 to 2016 before retiring. During that time, Carson hosted regional championships in soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball and track. Bateman was instrumental in bringing the state track championships to Carson in 2014 and 2016.
Bateman was selected as the Nevada State Athletic Director in 2015.
Gray served as Reed’s boys basketball coach for 19 seasons, stepping down after 2008. His teams compiled a 331-152 record, advanced to the regional title game six times and won three regional titles.
Others inducted in the Hall of Fame on Thursday included Lahontan Valley News Editor Emeritus Steve Ranson. Ranson covered sports for 30 years for the Nevada Appeal’s sister newspaper.
Others inducted into the Hall of Fame on Thursday: Brianne McGowan Durfee; Dave Glemstedt, who led the Hawthorne girls basketball team to 10 state titles and was nominated for the Hall of Fame by Carson City Schools Superintendent Richard Stokes; Joe Humasti; Worth Nelson; Richard Peraldo; Mark Smith; and Jim Whisman.
