Eugene “Gene” L. Donnelly – Faculty 1958-1984 – A beloved faculty member who served Anaheim High students for 26 years as a pioneering athletic team trainer, P.E. teacher, and Track and Field Head Coach. Gene was the youngest of 10 brothers and sisters from a tiny town in the northeastern corner of Colorado.
An all-state honoree in football and track, Donnelly has served in the Navy during the Korean War, then used the GI Bill to put himself through college. While a knee injury ended his football playing career, he stayed involved with the Rams football program working as an assistant trainer. Sports and medicine became his dual passions as he put in long hours studying for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Visiting Fort Collins on a district recruiting trip, Coach Van Hoorebeke asked to meet Donnelly to ask him if he would be interested in participating in a pilot program that would put his concepts of athletic training into practice. Gene eagerly accepted the offer and upon join Anaheim High faculty, he became the first certified high school athletic trainer in California.
In his new workspace next to the equipment room, Donnelly soon became a vital part of Van Hoorebeke’s athletic program and crafted a year-round program that kept Colonist athletes in top condition.
With Van’s blessing, he also started a rigorous conditioning regimen that took place in last August. A feature of the workouts, which became known as the “Donnelly’s” was when players sprinted up the 18 large concrete steps of Clayes Field stadium. Called a “stadium” it was an exercise no one found easy.
The results of the training, mentoring of athletes, and excellent coaching was a football program that was the envy of other high school teams and a few colleges, and Donnelly turned down job offers from the professional and college ranks to remain at Anaheim High, where all five of his children graduated.
