Don attended Grants Pass High School 1954-56 playing varsity as a junior and senior. His team won the Conference Championships both years and as a senior he was voted to the All-Conference baseball team. He attended Southern Oregon College, playing baseball in his junior and senior years. He graduated from SOC in 1963 with a degree in secondary education.

From 1963 to 1967, Don taught at Hedrick Junior High. He coached baseball with Barney Riggs two years and while at Hedrick Barney got him into refereeing basketball, which he continued to do for 21 years. He coached baseball at Crater High School from 1973-1981 and in 1974, Don was named AAA Baseball Coach of the Year.

Don, who played in the Medford Softball Fastpitch League from 1963-1979 was a first baseman, played in about 600 games with a batting average of .320. He played in 15 state tournaments, six regional tournaments, and was named to the State All-Star Team seven times. As a result of his outstanding performance at the plate and on first, Don was honored into the Oregon’s State Softball Hall of Fame in 1982. The master of ceremonies at the event (Garlin Sprick-State ex-commissioner) said of Don, “Smooth fielding first baseman…” At his best in the pressure situations”.