Randy Bishop – Branson High School – Randy started his coaching career at Eminence in 1977, moved to Mt. View – Birch Tree, then on to Illinois before returning to Missouri and Branson. Coach Bishop’s teams have won twenty-six (26) tournaments in the past thirty (30) years, eight (8) District Championships, nine (9) Conference Tournament Championships, nine (9) Holiday Tournament Championships and two(2) Blue and Gold Titles in 2003 and 2007.
Randy has won twelve (12) Coach of the Year awards and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District Coach of the Year twice. His teams overall record is 516-272.
He and his wife Terri have two daughters Brooke & Ali.
Mel Clark – St. Joseph Lafayette (Retired) – Mel’s teams dominated Northwest Missouri during the 1970’s and early 80’s. His teams won eight (8) Midland Empire Conference titles, a Platte Valley Conference title, seven (7) District championships, a 3A quarterfinal, a 4A quarterfinal, a 3A runner-up in the State Championships ( 1975), and a 3A State Championship (1976)
Mel retired from Coaching in 1986 to become the St. Joseph School District Supervisor of Health, Physical Education, Athletics and Safety. He held this position until his retirement in 1996, but worked half-time as Director of Athletics for the St. Joseph School District until 2003.
Mel and his wife Pat enjoy retirement in Easton , Missouri his home town. Easton is also the Home town of Henry “Hank” Iba the great Oklahoma State Coach. They have three children Julie, Janet and Jon who have provided them with six (6) grand children... Daughter Janet was the first Miss Show-Me Basketball in 1985
Rick Lin – Gallatin – Rick played his High School Basketball at Winston where he was a two time All-Conference and All-District player. He started his coaching career in Jameson and moved to Gallatin two years later and has remained there. His teams have racked up a record of 515-223. For nine (9) years Rick coached both Girls and Boys teams.
Gallatin finished second in the state Class 1 in 1996. They have won six (6) District Championships. Rick has received five (5) Coach of the Year awards including the Northwest District class 2 in 2006. In addition his Boys teams have won four (4) District and three (3) Conference championships.
Rick and his wife Lesli have two children son Derrick and daughter Sara
Terry Hollander – St. Charles West – Terry played at Duchesne High School in St. Charles on the 68-69 and 69-70 teams that won the District Title for the first time in 36 years. He has been the Head Boys Coach at West for twenty-eight (28) years. During that period his teams have played in four Final Fours and won 508 games while losing only 281. The Final Four record includes the State Championship in 94-95, runner up this past year, and 3rd in 93-94 and 03-04.
In 1995 Terry was selected by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association as the 4A Coach of the Year.
Terry and his wife Brenda have two sons Blake & Kirk and daughter Leigh.
Eric Johnson – Webb City – Eric played his High School Basketball at Pittsburgh , Kansas where he was Honorable Mention All-State. At Highland Junior College he was an All-Conference selection and at Pittsburgh State University he was Honorable Mention All-Conference.
He got his Coaching start at Horton , Kansas , moved to Columbus , Kansas and then to Webb City in 1984. His teams have posted a record of 516-366. This includes the 1997 Class 3A Missouri State Championship and two third place finishes in 1998 and 2008. In addition they have won ten(10) Conference titles and eleven (11) District titles.
Eric has been the District Coach of the Year in 1986-1992-1997. The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) honored him as Coach of the Year in 1997.
His father Bob coached High School and College for thirty (30) years including fourteen (14) years at Pittsburgh State . Eric is married to Mary Sue (Culbertson) Johnson.
Mike Pratte – Parkway West – Mike had an outstanding High School playing career at Bonne Terre High School making All-State and averaging 28.4 points per game. He continued that success at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale winning five (5) Varsity letters in Basketball & Baseball including being named Baseball Team Captain. He carried that success into his coaching career at Bonne Terre and North County-Bonne Terre-Desloge before starting the Boys program at Parkway West.
His teams compiled a 423-250 record which included five (5) Suburban West Conference titles, a third place finish in the 4A State Championships in 1986 and a quarter final in 1987. Mike was the MBCA Coach of the Year in 1986. As a Varsity Assistant in 1991 Parkway West won the State Title.
Mike and his wife Dee have a son Evan and daughter Krista.
Rich Grawer – St. Louis U & DeSmet – Rich’s championship ways started in High School as a guard on the 1961 Class L State Championship team at St. Louis High.. In college he played on the 1964 NAIA National Championship at Rockhurst College .
This winning tradition continued when he coached DeSmet to three Missouri State Championships including a sixty-three (63) game winning streak. In addition his teams won a second place, a third place and fourth place in the State Tournaments.
After a year on Norm Stewart’s staff at the University of Missouri , Rich took over the Head Coaches position at St, Louis University . His teams played in three (3) National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) and played for the title twice.
Rich has been a clinic and seminar speaker in our country but also in Korea & Japan . He is a member of three Hall’s of Fame including the St. Louis Amateur Baseball, St. Louis University and DeSmet.
Rich and his wife Theresa have six (6) Children and sixteen (16) Grand Children.
Brent Colley – Willow Springs – Brent played his High School Basketball at Mt. Vernon where he was an All-Conference performer. He graduated from the University of Missouri before starting his coaching career at Willow Springs.
His teams at the Springs posted a 412-304 record. Included were eight (8) Conference Championships, nine (9) District Championships, a Final Four appearance and six (6) Conference Coach of the Year awards. Brent is the winningest Coach in Willow Springs history. Prior to his twenty-seven years as a Head Coach, he served seven (7) years as the Middle School and Varsity Assistant Coach.
Brent and his wife Pam have three daughters, Shelley, Courtney and Quencie. They have 2 Grand Children.
Bob Burchard – Columbia College – Bob got his start in Basketball at McLean High School in the state of Virginia , where he was a three (3) year letter winner. At Catawba College in North Carolina he picked up four (4) letters.
His Coaching career got started with a one year stay at Jameson Missouri High School and then on to Missouri Western State College as a seven year Assistant.. Columbia College was the next stop, where his teams have posted a tremendous record of 501-185. Included are thirteen (13) NAIA National Tournament appearances, sixteen (16) NAIA All-American players and seven (7) NAIA All-American Scholar Athletes.
Bob has been selected as Conference Coach of the Year five (5) times and NAIA District Coach of the Year once. He has received the Don Faurot Kiwanis Award and the Kent Heitholt Memorial Award and served on the USA Basketball Collegiate Committee. Bob has recently completed a term as President of the NAIA National Coaches Association.
His wife Faye, who serves as Dean of Students at Columbia College , have two children Jennifer and Bret.
Gary Murphy – Marshfield – Gary played his High School Basketball at Wheaton and graduated from Central Missouri State University . He got his coaching start at Exeter followed by stops at Jasper and Morrisville before spending the past eighteen (18) years at Marshfield . His teams there have recorded a 427-111 mark. When you add his teams wins at his other stops it comes out to 537-153.
Gary has been honored with the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Coach of the Year designation in 1991 – 1996 – 1997 – 1999.. In addition Gary was the Marshfieldian of the Year in 1999.
He is married to wife Terrill.
Dan Miller – Hickman Mills – Dan spent twenty-one (21) years as the Head Coach at Hickman Mills before moving to Kansas for a year at Shawnee Mission North then back to Hickman Mills as an Assistant. He is still coaching at Raymore-Peculiar as Assistant to Scott Jermain.
During his time as Head Coach at Hickman Mills his teams posted 350 wins which included two second place finishes in the Missouri State Tournament. They also won seven (7) District titles and eight Conference Championships. He was awarded the Conference Coach of the Year eight (8) times and received the Lambert Award from William Jewell College as the Kansas City area Outstanding Coach.
Bill Kimminau – St. Francis Borgia – Bill was selected as theKevin “Cub” Martin Memorial Missouri Assistant Coach of the Year for 2008. He played his High School Basketball at Borgia in the early 70’s and was the team Most Valuable Player his senior year.
Bill was nominated by David Neier, Head Coach at St. Francis Borgia for his twenty (20) years as an Assistant. During that period the team has posted a 472-110 record and David gives Bill a lot of credit for the outstanding record. His Junior Varsity teams have a 304-106 mark.
Bill and his wife Pam have three children Crystal, Brandy and Eric.