Simmons participated in football, basketball, track and baseball for the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs. He made a half-court shot at the buzzer to beat rival Phillips for the conference title in basketball. He was inducted into the Southwestern Oklahoma State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1963.[3]
Simmons coached basketball at Northeastern State University for seven years. He later coached basketball at El Reno High School, winning the state championship in 1932, 1933, 1946, 1949 and 1953. His 1933 and 1949 teams were undefeated.[3]
