PHOENIX – The winner of the 10th annual Spirit of Cotton Award is Ken Vargas, head coach of the Miami High School boys’ varsity basketball team in Miami, Arizona. Phoenix Suns Charities honored Coach Vargas at tonight’s Suns-Clippers game at US Airways Center.
Vargas has more than 29 years of coaching experience on the junior high and high school levels. He began his varsity coaching career at Miami High School in 2002, and has received 2A South Coach of the Year honors in addition to taking his team to the 2A state quarterfinals in 2003. Prior to his time with Miami High School, Vargas coached at Lee Kornegay Junior High School for 17 seasons, receiving four championships with the boys’ basketball team and the Teacher of the Year Award during the 1990-91 school year.
“It is an honor to receive the Spirit of Cotton Award,” said a grateful Vargas. “This year Miami High School will celebrate its 100th graduating class, and this award will bring much excitement and energy to the school’s celebration. The Spirit of Cotton Award is the embodiment of what we as coaches get to do on a daily basis, purely from the heart, and it is by far one of the greatest recognitions a coach can receive.”
The Spirit of Cotton Award, named in memory of former Suns’ head coach, Cotton Fitzsimmons, who passed away in July 2004, honors a high school coach in Arizona who consistently demonstrates the best qualities of a coach, educator, mentor and community leader.
“In his heart, Cotton was always a small school, small town coach, so I’m sure he would be thrilled to know that we are honoring Coach Vargas,” said JoAnn Fitzsimmons, wife of the late Cotton Fitzsimmons. “His dedication to his school, his community and his extended family of players epitomizes all of the qualities that Cotton exemplified during his career. Like Cotton, Coach Vargas has never met a stranger, and has touched so many lives.”
As part of the award, Coach Vargas will receive a commemorative plaque and custom ring designed by Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers. In addition, Phoenix Suns Charities will make a grant of $10,000 to Miami High School’s athletic department.
Fitzsimmons is an integral part of Suns history, having begun his first of three stints as the team’s head coach in 1970. Over a 20-year NBA coaching career, Fitzsimmons won 832 games with four different franchises. He was twice honored as NBA Coach of the Year (1979 with Kansas City and 1989 with the Suns).