Jim Uttecht - Inducted 2025

1965 Tripp/1969 Southern State (USD-Springfield) graduate.

One of the winningest prep football coaches in state history, Uttecht guided West Central to eight titles in nine championship games and a 234-64 record (fifth best ever when he retired as head coach) in 28 seasons as head coach from 1974-2003. The Trojans won seven of eight state Class 11A titles from 1996-2003. As offensive coordinator of West Central from 2004-2014, the Trojans won four more state titles with another runner-up finish. In 2015, West Central renamed its field in honor of Uttecht. He also was athletic director at West Central for 32 years (1974-2007) and was the Trojans’ boys’ basketball coach for seven years. Uttecht was a three-time nominee for national football coach of the year. Before West Central, Uttecht taught and coached at Winner from 1969-74 where he was head boys’ basketball coach for three seasons. At Tripp, Uttecht quarterbacked the undefeated 1964 mythical state 8-man football champs, started on the 1965 state “B’’ runner-up basketball team and set the school pole vault record. At Southern State, Uttecht started four years at quarterback and lettered four years in basketball. Uttecht is in several halls of fame, including the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a guitarist and horn player for the 1960s band The Postmen.