Bobby DeBerry, one of the most successful and well-regarded wrestling coaches in the state’s history, has stepped down as Tucson High’s coach after 14 years at his alma mater.
DeBerry compiled 14 consecutive state titles at Sunnyside and 15 overall — the most by a wrestling coach in the state’s history — from 1994-95 to 2010-11 before becoming the head coach of the Badgers.
His 657 career dual-match victories entering the 2024-25 season were the second-most in the state’s history, trailing only Safford’s Herman Andrews (759).
DeBerry, 64, confirmed via a text message that he has resigned, but noted that he still plans to remain active in the community. Details of that are to come, he stated.
He was the head wrestling coach at Canyon del Oro five years before becoming an assistant coach to Richard Sanchez at Sunnyside in 1992.
DeBerry, who is inducted in the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame, was named by the National Wrestling Coaches Association national coach of the year in 2004.
DeBerry wrestled at Tucson High and graduated from the school in 1979. He went on to wrestle at Pima College (which still had a program at the time) and became a 142-pound region champion while studying criminal justice before shifting to physical education.
He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in secondary education at Arizona in 1987 while being a monitor at CDO.
After brief assistant coaching stints with Pima, Salpointe and CDO, he became the head coach of the Dorados in 1988.
When DeBerry left Sunnyside for Tucson High, he began working in a mentoring program at the school and also helped coach the freshman football team. He wanted to devote more time to watching his sons Kyle and Kory — each four-time state-champion wrestlers at Sunnyside — compete at Arizona State.
Shortly after his move to Tucson High, the wrestling coaching position opened, and former athletic director Will Kreamer hired DeBerry.
The elder DeBerry also later became the athletic director at Tucson while continuing to coach wrestling.
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