She grew up on a dirt road outside of Pacific, a rural community just west of St. Louis, and played just about every sport imaginable. So when Linda Wells was about to enter high school, a neighbor walked over to the house and asked her dad if she might be interested in playing in the… Read more »
News
Category: Coaches
Jim Whytlaw
A longtime high school coach, Jim Whytlaw likes to put it this way about his career: “I have always told my wife that my tombstone should say, ‘He yelled because he cared.’” He certainly showed the way for 37 years (1973-2010) as a swimming and diving coach — including 34 successful years at Glendale High… Read more »
Paula Wohnhas Wiedemann
You could almost say that the volleyball universe wasn’t about to let Paula Wohnhas Wiedemann go anywhere else. In 1997, one of the state’s most respected coaches asked her to become a full-time assistant at Missouri State University-West Plains. A former Drury University standout who was pretty familiar with the volleyball landscape in Missouri, Wiedemann… Read more »
D. C. “Dixie” Wilcutt
After starring at St. Louis University, Wilcutt was selected in the 1948 BAA Draft by the St. Louis Bombers. He played for the Bombers for two seasons. The first year they were in the Basketball Association of America. That league then combined with the National Basketball League to form the modern-day National Basketball Association, which… Read more »
Robert Wilhoit
A Clopton graduate, Bob Wilhoit played college basketball at Union University, in Jackson, Tennessee. His coaching career began in Elsberry in the mid-1950’s where he had a very successful tenure. He returned to Clopton for the 1960-61 seaso and, in 11 years, he built a 253-76 record, earning seven conference titles, four regional titles, and… Read more »
Jim Wilkinson
James H. Wilkinson’s coaching career began with an assistant coaching position at his alma mater, Lincoln University (Pennsylvania), in 1942. Wilkinson also served stints at the Kansas City YMCA, the R.T. Coles Vocational School and Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri, where his 1966 squad won a Missouri Class L state title. His teams… Read more »
Don Williams
Don Williams spent 28 seasons with the boys’ basketball team at Paris High School beginning in 1958. The boys’ team won more than 60 percent of its games and established a 434-274 record, won 24 tournament championships (with 18 second-place wins), eight conference titles (four second-place, as well), and over 50 trophies. By the time… Read more »
Gregg Williams
Longtime National Football League defensive coordinator Gregg Williams certainly hasn’t forgotten his roots. Over the years, his foundation has gifted millions of dollars to school and youth athletics in his hometown of Excelsior Springs. “I always wanted them to know they can do anything in life,” Williams said. Williams is a prime example, having parlayed… Read more »
George Wilson
Under his tenure as the Women’s Head Coach at College of the Ozarks, the Lady Bobcats have amassed an impressive 263-61 record. Last season, Coach Wilson picked up his overall 800th career win, and after completing 41 years of coaching, has an impressive record of 822-345. Before coming to College of the Ozarks, Wilson coached… Read more »
James Wilson
James Wilson (Missouri S&T class of 1940) excelled in three sports from 1936-39, serving as captain of the football and basketball teams, as well as participating in track & field and lettering in all three. He was an all-conference selection in football at the end of 1938 and was chosen that season to play in… Read more »
Mike Wilson
Back home, he sometimes played basketball in the old barn on a friend’s family farm in the Bootheel and, in college, his coach brought him along to help scout opponents. Sure enough, the so-called basketball gods made sure to find a spot for Mike Wilson as a high school coach. But they made him earn… Read more »
Wayne Winstead
A native of Westboro, Missouri, Wayne Winstead began his coaching career at Sheridan High School. His teams at Sheridan won more than 700 games and took 13 conference championships. He moved to Worth County High School in 1976, where his three year girls basketball record was 56-21. The three winning seasons he produced at Worth… Read more »
Brad Wittenborn
For some coaches, barking orders gets results. For Brad Wittenborn, that was never his style in coaching soccer and basketball at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau. “My philosophy was to treat the athletes with respect and concentrate on what they could do,” Wittenborn said. “I wouldn’t take them out right away if they… Read more »
“Skip” Wolfe
Robert “Skip” Wolfe was a guard from 1957-60 under former head coach Bob Vanatta. Wolfe, who grew up in New Haven, Missouri, helped lead the University of Memphis Tigers to some of their greatest basketball moments in school history. He played in 17 games during his freshman year and averaged 10.7 points per game, scoring… Read more »
Terry Writer
Surrounded by empty seats of Missouri State University’s iconic McDonald Arena, with the mid-afternoon sun pouring through the glass windows, you could find a student sitting quietly and taking mental notes. Terry Writer didn’t want to be anywhere else. Not with basketball practices down on the hardwood, with coaches Bill Thomas and a young Charlie… Read more »
Melinda Wrye-Washington
It’s amazing how the encouragement of one coach can plant the tiniest seed in the mind a young athlete, who not only finds inspiration but goes on to give back to the game. For Melinda Wrye-Washington, her love for the sport of volleyball took root in the middle school of Eldon, where varsity volleyball coach… Read more »