Press Release - August 13, 2006
Senator Paula Aboud is inducted into the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, for her outstanding contributions as an athlete and a coach in Tucson.
Paula Aboud is a graduate of Tucson High School where she played for former Hall of Fame Coach, Sue Clark from 1964-68. In all of her 4 years on the tennis team, Aboud was undefeated in all her doubles and singles matches. Her only loss came in the finals of the State Championship singles match in her senior year. She had won the City Championship in singles and doubles many times and was the State Champion in Doubles in 1967, and by 1968, Paula Aboud was ranked #1 in Doubles and #2 in Singles in the Southwestern United States.
While at THS, Aboud also was captain of two City Championship Volleyball teams.
She then attended the U of A where she played varsity tennis, basketball, volleyball and badminton. Aboud was the leading scorer and rebounder on the varsity basketball team for 3 years and was selected to the Rocky Mountain All Star team.
At the U of A, she was a member of the exclusive Arete Athletic Society, Chimes, and served as President of the Women's Athletic Association. She was honored while at the U of A as an inductee in Who's Who in American Colleges in 1972. She played semi-pro basketball in Tucson from 1973-76.
Senator Aboud was an English teacher and volleyball and tennis coach at Rincon High School upon graduation from the U of A in 1972 . She co-coached the Rincon High girls' volleyball team to the state championships in 1974.
Aboud lived in Maine where she coached College Women's Tennis and Squash teams to state and regional championships at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She retired from coaching in 1991 and began her career in politics. In January, 2006, Aboud was unanimously selected by the Pima County Board of Supervisors as the new State Senator from District 28. She has taken her coaching and team-building skills to the Legislature and has been recognized for her integrity and strong work ethic.
This year's Class of 2006 was chosen from over 46 nominees. The 12 member Selection Committee of the Hall made the final recommendations. The Selection Committee consists of current Hall of Fame enshrines, both early inductees and recent members.
Senator Aboud said of the induction: "This is a great honor to be selected from so many fine coaches and athletes representing Tucson's great history of sports heroes. Coaches and athletes from Tucson's high schools comprise one big family: we played hard always trying our best to win, and, when the game was over, we always respected the coaches and players we competed against. They were our competitors and comrades in Sport. Even today, they are still our Sports Family."
She went on, "Thanks to the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame. What a great organization! They maintain the stories, the memorabilia, and the history of Tucson's athletes and coaches and advocates within their walls."
Other inductees were Frank Busch, Swimming; Ed Hochuli, NFL referee; Candy Kaemerer, Synchronized Swimming; Bob Logan, Football Coach at UA; Bert Otero, girls softball; Don Pooley, Men's Pro Golfer; Benny Rincon, Baseball; Jack Rickard, Sports Journalist; and Gary Williams, Rodeo.