Paul Williams’ goal of becoming a big-time Arizona high school football coach didn’t pan out.

But that didn’t stop him from becoming a Hall of Fame coach.

What Williams was destined for was a fruitful career as a track coach at Cactus High School, where Williams is viewed more as a family member instead of a founding member of that school’s athletic program. Williams’ good-natured disposition has helped him throughout his 35 years at Cactus get the best out of his athletes and strengthen his bond with the school he calls home.

Williams doesn’t consider himself one of Cactus’ coaching giants such as football coach Larry Fetkenhier and former soccer coach Jack Altersitz. The track coach has always believed he’s one of the underdogs in the Arizona high school coaching community.

But the underdog will be a top-dog on Sunday, when the Arizona High School Coaches Association welcomes Williams into the association’s Hall of Fame.

“Cactus is my family,” Williams said. “It’s the best high school in the state. If you think I’m fibbing, come and walk around the campus for a day.”

Cactus is home to one of the state’s better athletic programs because of Williams.

He’s won five state championships in girls track since volunteering to run that program in 1987 and still got to experience high school football glory. Williams is one of Cactus’ original assistant football coaches, having served 31 seasons, mostly as a defensive line coach.

Cactus football won two state titles with Williams’ help. Before dedicating his coaching life to Cactus, Williams spent a school year at Carl Hayden and worked at the University of Oregon as a graduate assistant.

At Oregon, Williams spent time with a couple of quarterbacks that eventually made a name for themselves in the NFL, Norv Turner and Dan Fouts. But after one season at Oregon, Williams returned to Arizona in 1979 to help open Cactus.

As an athlete, Williams was a late bloomer who went on to run track at San Francisco State despite having asthma.

“I was a skinny kid who filled out and who worked my butt off,” Williams said. “I still don’t think that I’m worthy of being in the (AHSCA) Hall of Fame. But I guess it’s about what other people think of you. I don’t have a huge ego.”

Hall of Fame ceremony

Sunday’s ceremony will be held at the Elks Lodge No. 335 in Phoenix (14424 N. 32nd St.). The doors open at 1 p.m.

The cost to attend the event is $30. Horizon volleyball coach Valorie McKenzie, former Duncan tennis coach H.T. Clothier, former Sunnyslope basketball coach Dan Mannix, and Higley football coach Jim Beall also will be honored on Sunday.