Presenting the MBCA Hall of Fame Inductees - Class of 2016
Tom Barr: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Barr built a successful career at the high school and junior college levels earning 424 victories. Barr started in his hometown at Wellsville, later in Bowling Green where he led the Bobcats to a 75-9 mark including three playoff trips, turned around the program at Rolla High School, then finished at West Plains High School.
Barr spent nine seasons as an assistant at Three Rivers Community College, including a NJCAA National Championship with the Raiders.
In 1993, Barr started the Southwest Missouri State-West Plains program earning Coach of the Year honors and Region 16 in 1998 & 1999. He developed nine All-Americans with the Grizzlies, averaging 23 wins per season, finishing with a 256-94 mark.
Skip Brock: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Brock proudly leads a basketball family that includes Tomas an assistant at Columbia College and Matt, the head coach at Missouri Baptist. He has directed his teams to 433 wins in 28 seasons in stops at Camdenton, Mount Vernon, and currently at Carl Junction. Brock also spent a season assisting MBCA Hall of Fame member Robert Korn at Missouri Southern.
While at Mount Vernon, Brock’s teams earned five district titles and advanced to the Show-Me Showdown three times. Overall, he guided his teams to seven conference titles, eight district titles, ten tournament championships, including a pair of Blue & Gold victories.
Five-times named Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year; Brock earned the NABC Coaches Honor award in 2008. He earned Joplin Globe top coaching honors three times, was 2012 MBCA Class 3 District 12 Coach of the Year, as well as Ozark Sports Magazine top coach in 1994. A hard working member of the FCA, the NABC, and the MBCA Brock has worked to promote values, sportsmanship, and basketball throughout his distinguished career.
Steve Burk: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Burk has built a solid career and impressive resume at both the high school and college level. Burk coached at Chester (ILL), Francis Howell, and Jackson High School guiding his teams to a 380-188 mark. His teams earned five conference titles, four district titles, and two quarterfinal appearances.
Under Burk’s guidance 20 players went on to play at the college level. A 35-year coaching veteran, Burk as served as the recruiting coordinator at Columbia College for the Men’s Basketball program.
During his tenure assisting in Columbia, the Cougar program has dominated American Midwest Conference play, earned a No. 1 national ranking, three 30-win seasons, and several trips to the NAIA National Tournament.
Les Jackson: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Grundy County graduate Les Jackson has spent a lifetime giving back to his alma mater. Since 1982, Jackson has guided the boys’ basketball team, building a 489-338 record, earning nine district titles, five HDC conference titles, and advancing to the quarterfinals in 2002.
Jackson led the girls’ for 23 seasons, building a 326-248 record, earning seven district titles and six HDC conference titles. An 11-time HDC conference Coach of the Year, Jackson was named KAAN Boys’ Coach of the Year in 2002. His 815 combined wins leaves him ranked among the winningest coaches in MSHSAA history.
Tonya Mirts: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Following a successful run at Hickman (Columbia) High School, Tonya Mirts finished with a 450-129 record leading the Kewpies. Mirts guided her teams to nine district titles, eight quarterfinal appearances, and four trips to the Show-Me Showdown finishing third twice, and runner-up twice.
Named National H.S. Coach of the Year from Missouri in 2013, Mirts earned District Coach of the Year honors 9 times and shared MBCA Coach of the Year honors in 2000. Under her guidance 13 different players earned all-state honors. Mirts work as the Northeast Missouri representative to the MBCA and as treasurer was invaluable.
Wilbur Powell: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Powell served as a business teacher, coaching the boys and girls basketball teams and later serving as the athletic director from 1957-1994. In the MSHSAA record books, his 681 wins rank eighth all-time. Powell led DeKalb to 12 Northwest Missouri Conference — the current day KCI — titles in a 14-year span. The court at DeKalb High School was recently named Powell Family Court in honor of Wilbur and his wife Mary who combined to teach 73 years there.
Steve Scholfield: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Described as a “great teacher of the game”, Steve Scholfield eclipsed the 400-victory plateau this season in route to guiding Iberia to their third Show-Me Showdown appearance in the past four years. Scholfield, whose career mark stands at 411-227, led the Rangers to their second runner-up finish in Missouri Class 2.
In stints at Brashear, West County, Crocker, and now Iberia his teams have earned eight district titles and three Final Four trips. Finishing second twice, and third in 2013. Scholfield has been named KJEL, Frisco League, Class 2 Southeast District 2A, Central District 1A, and B104 Big Country Coach of the Year. He’s also earned KREI, KIJJ, and KJFF Dream Team Coach of the Year honors.
Sam Sides: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Sides has built a solid career coaching in different stops in Southeast Missouri. During stops at Leopold, Meadow Heights, Jackson, and Saxony Lutheran, he has guided both girls and boys teams to a 416-230 record. His teams have earned six conference titles, seven district titles, his Saxony Lutheran girls have built a 103-28 record advancing to the Show-Me Showdown in 2014 finishing 4th and this season finishing 2nd. Named Class 1A Coach of the Year early in the 1980's, Sides has impacted the lives of many students in his team as an assistant coach and a successful baseball coach for 25 years.
Pat Smith: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Moberly Area Community College head coach Pat Smith has been successful at each step of his coaching journey. In two different stints with Moberly, Smith has guided the Greyhounds to three national tournament appearances, and he has built a 659-387 record in his career.
Other coaching stops include Trinity Valley CC, Bemidji State, as well as Jacksonville Community College, Sue Bennett, St. Catharine, Lincoln Land, and Wabash Valley each at the Junior College level. In his one season assisting at Miami University, the Hurricanes advanced to the NCAA tournament.
A teacher of the game who excels at turning around losing programs, Smith is a seven-time coach of the year. His teams have averaged 22 wins per season, he has received both conference and region honors.
Kevin Stubblefield: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
A “contributor to the game”, Stubblefield has broadcast over 3,000 sporting events over the course of 35 seasons, including 41 Show-Me Showdown games. A 2015 Lebanon Area Sports Hall of Fame inductee, he has been the “voice” of the Lebanon Yellow Jackets and area sports since 1981. A positive voice for athletes and coaches throughout Southwest Missouri, Stubblefield is the sports director at KJEL Radio. With KJEL, Stubblefield started a Dream Team banquet, to honor area athletes each season. “Kevin is a great sports announcer, interviewer, and radio personality”, commented MBCA Hall of Famer Jacky Payne.
Steve Vertin: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Vertin has served as a teacher and coach for the past 43 years. In a 14-year stint at Bishop LeBlond High School, Vertin built a 198-126 record, finishing with 3 district titles, two trips to the Quarterfinals, and a 4th place finish at the 2002 Show-Me Showdown. Vertin is the winningest coach in LeBlond history and earned the 2008 St. Joseph Sports Inc. Coach of the Year honor. Following an 18-year tenure at Adams Central High School, in Hastings, Nebraska built a 169-76 mark and finished as the schools all-time wins leader. His coaching travels have taken him to three states, include a state title as part of the Grand Island Northwest staff and include an unmatched passion for the game and desire to help kids.
Ted Young: CLICK HERE to view acceptance speech
Through the years, residents of Marionville have become accustomed to Ted Young’s consistency and success. As a player, Young scored 2,000 career points before moving on to a Hall of Fame career at Drury University.
As a coach, Young has amassed a 400-187 record guiding the Comet boys and girls squads. His teams have earned five conference titles, eight district championships, and have advanced to the Show-Me Showdown five times. A 5-time conference coach of the year, his teams have finished third in the state twice and runner-up twice.
Young earned MBCA Coach of the Year honors in 2005 when he guide the Comets to the State Championship on the 20th anniversary of his Marionville title as a player.
