The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association inducted the Hall of Fame class of 2012 as part of a banquet and induction ceremony at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, MO.
Coaches and contributors inducted this year include:
Mike Bissell Hall of Fame Induction Speech
Mike Bissell has traversed the central part of the state for over 30 years as the preeminent voice of high school sports in the Lake of the Ozarks area. Currently serving as sports director at KS-95 FM in the Versailles/Eldon area, he has taken his job as a play-by-play man of high school sports very seriously. While covering the game and its athletes, Mike has always kept in mind what high school sports does and can represent. Mike Bissell’s professionalism and enthusiasm have made fans, players, and now children of those players always aware it’s an event when they see Mike pull on the headset at an area gym. We thank Mike for all he has done and will continue to do in his role. We welcome him into the MBCA Hall of Fame as one of the greatest contributors towards our mission of promoting basketball in the state of Missouri.
Stephen Boeh Nate Boeh accepting on behalf of Steve Boeh
Stephen Boeh spent 38 years as a high school basketball coach in Kansas and Missouri racking up a career record of 465-302. In 1981, he guided Atchison County Community HS to an appearance in the Kansas State Tournament. He did the same with Highland HS in 1985. Boeh crossed over the state line to work at Crawford County R-II HS and Hannibal HS. He led multiple teams to undefeated conference seasons, Conference Championships, and District Championships. Boeh’s 2008 Bowling Green team finished with a mark of 27-1, winning the District 6 Championship along with three regular season tournaments that year.
Ronald Cook Hall of Fame Induction Speech
Ronald Cook spent one season as the girls’ basketball head coach at Scott County Central in 1981, leading them to a 27-4 mark and a Final Four appearance. The next season, he took over the girls’ basketball program at Jackson where he compiled an overall record of 446-143. While at Jackson, his teams never had a losing season and he led the program to 11 Conference Championships and 10 District Championships. His Jackson teams made seven Final Four Appearances in 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2003. He was named the Class 4A Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997, and 1999. Cook was awarded the Conference Coach of the Year nine times and District Coach of the Year 11 times. Coach Cook finished with an overall career record of 473-147.
John Covington Hall of Fame Induction Speech
John Covington has been covering the Four Rivers Conference, St. Francis Borgia, and Washington HS since 1986. He has broadcast high school sporting events for basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, and softball. He has worked more than 50 Final Fours overall including 20 in basketball. John was named the Missouri Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association in 2007, 2009, and 2011. In 2011, he received a first-place award from the Missouri Broadcasters Association for his feature known as “Athlete of the Week.”
Chris Ellis Hall of Fame Induction Speech
Chris Ellis continues to add to his hall of fame credentials as the current Maryville University women’s basketball head coach. He has led that program since 2001 compiling a record of 190-108. His teams at Maryville have won seven Conference Championships and made six NCAA Tournament appearances. From 2003-09, Maryville produced the NCAA Division III women’s basketball record 92 consecutive conference game winning streak. Before taking over at Maryville, Coach Ellis led the Parkway South girls’ basketball program to a mark of 185-58. While at Parkway South, his teams won five Conference Championships, two District Championships, and two State Quarterfinal appearances. Ellis also spent one year at Webster Groves leading them to a District Championship. Ellis was named SLIAC Coach of the Year five times.
Bill Goodin Hall of Fame Induction Speech
Bill Goodin has won 480 games in his career spending the majority of his time leading the Princeton HS girls’ basketball program where he has a career mark of 455-266. He led Princeton to the Final Four in 1986 (4th) and again in 1991 (2nd). Goodin was selected as the Missouri Class 1A Coach of the Year in each of those seasons. His teams have won seven Grand River Conference crowns, including a stretch of five in a row, and captured 13 District Championships.
Rick Kirby Hall of Fame Induction Speech
Rick Kirby led the Parkway Central boys' basketball program for 18 years compiling a record of 337-167. His teams won three Conference titles and four District Championships. Kirby led three teams to the Final Four making the trip in 1991, 1992, and 2003. Rick was selected as Conference Coach of the Year three times during his tenure at Parkway Central.
Bill Presley Hall of Fame Induction Speech
Bill Presley began his coaching career at Diamond HS leading their boys' program for three years and their girls’ program for three years with a one-year stop at Carthage HS in between. Bill then moved up to the collegiate level taking over the Crowder College Women's program from 1983 until 1987. Bill produced four seasons of 22-plus wins and two of his teams finished in 6th Place in the NJCAA Tournament. Presley then returned to Diamond HS in 1987 to once again lead the boys' program. He would coach there until 2000, taking his 1994-95 squad to a Class 2A 3rd Place finish. Coach Presley ended his career with a record of 475-208, collecting nine conference titles, four high school district championships, and two NJCAA National Tournament appearances. He had 21 winning seasons and 12 seasons of 20 wins or more.
Gary Stanfield Hall of Fame Induction Speech Part I
Hall of Fame Induction Speech Part II
Gary Stanfield has spent time coaching at both the high school and collegiate level. Gary made stops at Weaubleau, Willow Springs, Hillcrest, and Republic High Schools racking up a combined record of 330-198. Gary twice lead Willow Springs to the Final Four in 1980 and 1981, won a State Championship at Hillcrest in 1984, and led Republic to the Final Four in 2010. He was named the Missouri Class 4A Coach of the Year four times. Coach Stanfield also worked the sidelines at Drury University leading that program to a 239-131 mark in his time there. He was awarded Coach of the Year honors in 1993 (District 16), 1994 (NAIA Midwest Region), and 2004 (NCAA Conference). Gary finished his career with a combined record of 569-32.
Denny Hunt / Gary Filbert Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award Speech Part I
Lifetime Achievement Award Speech Part II
Denny Hunt has been an active member and contributor to the MBCA for many years. If there is anyone who embodies the MBCA motto, “Promoting Basketball in the State of Missouri,” it is Denny Hunt. He has been a statewide ambassador for our sport during good times and difficult times. Denny has worked as President and Vice-President of the MBCA, been a co-director of the Missouri Hall of Fame Games for 17 years, and has served as an MBCA board member for 20 years. He has spent the last 38 years as a positive influence coaching basketball at both the high school and collegiate level. The MBCA is honored to present Denny Hunt with the 2012 Gary Filbert Lifetime Achievement award.
