Holifield to be inducted into coaches HOF

sports@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- Sikeston head boys basketball coach Gregg Holifield has accomplished much in his coaching career, and now he is receiving the ultimate compliment for his success.

The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association will induct Holifield into its Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held April 26 at noon at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield.

"It is quite an honor," said Holifield, who turns 52 tomorrow. "I think of some of the great coaches, especially in Southeast Missouri that are in the Hall of Fame, and that makes it really special. I think about all of the great players that I've had and my assistant coaches and all the hard work that they put in and it makes this (Hall of Fame election) -- everything a total team effort."

Holifield's resume speaks for itself, making his selection an easy call.

In this file photo, Sikeston head coach Gregg Holifield talks with Corbyn Blissett (3) Friday, March 7, during the Class 4, District 1 championship game at Cape Central High School. (Chris Pobst Photo)

In 23 seasons of coaching, he has compiled a record of 398-205, including 291-138 in his 16 years at Sikeston, which makes him the all-time leader in wins at the school. He has won 10 district championships, six sectional championships, six conference championships, appeared in three final fours and won one state championship in 2011 with a perfect 30-0 record.

Ten different seasons he has led his teams to 20 wins or more, has guided his squads to 29 championships in various tournaments, and has coached numerous all-state players over the years, including 11 during his time at Sikeston.

He was named Missouri State Coach of the Year and the Class 4 Coach of the Year in 2011. He was voted as Southeast Missouri Coach of the Year in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013 and the SEMO Conference Coach of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 as well as the Bootheel Conference Coach of the Year in 1995.

At Sikeston alone, he has led the Bulldogs to unprecedented heights that the program has never witnessed before.

Prior to Holifield's arrival, the Bulldogs had only won three SEMO Conference regular season titles in school history. They have won six during Holifield's tenure. Also, the program had eight 20-win seasons in 90 years of basketball. Under Holifield, the Bulldogs have matched that number, including a current streak of seven straight years of at least 20 wins.

Holifield has guided the Bulldogs to eight of the school's 22 district championships, including a streak of five straight from 2008-13. Prior to that, Sikeston had never won more than two district titles in a row. He has led the Bulldogs to an impressive run in recent years, compiling a record of 169-24 in the last seven seasons as they are consistently ranked among the top teams in the state in Class 4.

Before Holifield, Sikeston had one final four appearance in school history with a fourth place finish in Class 4A in 1995. He has guided the school to three, finishing second in 2006, third in 2013 and the legendary 30-0 team that captured the Class 4 state championship in 2011 to be automatically inducted into the Missouri Hall of Fame.

Holifield notes that not only was the 2011 a special squad, but making it more even more memorable to him was to be able to coach his son Will and his stepson Caleb McGee as members of the team.

"You hate to put any team or players above the rest, but I have to reflect back at our 2011 undefeated season," Holifield said. "Not only was that so special to me, our school, our community, but I had the unique privilege of coaching Will and Caleb on that team. That made that incredible year extra special for me, personally."

While the bulk of his coaching has taken place at Sikeston, Holifield's career started in 1991 at his alma mater of Senath-Hornersville High School, where he coached from 1991-95 while leading the Lions to a district championship in 1994.

From there he spent two years coaching at Kennett from 1995-97 and then spent one year at Greene County Tech in Paragould, Ark., before taking the position at Sikeston in 1998.

Holifield graduated from Senath-Hornersville in 1980. He graduated from Arkansas Tech in 1985 with a degree in physical education. He graduated from Arkansas State in 1990 with a Master's degree in education.

Holifield says his passion for basketball began when watching John Wooden's UCLA teams in the 1960s and 1970s.

"I just enjoyed watching those teams play and it really got me interested in basketball and kind of carried me into my high school playing days and beyond," Holifield said.

But it was playing for his high school coach Randy Benson, who is also in the MBCA Hall of Fame, that he attributes his desire to become a coach.

"I played for a great high school coach in Randy Benson," Holifield said. "He really made basketball fun for his players and he left such a good impression on me at the time. I really think his influence and the positive experience I had, under him, really had a large role in me going in this direction."

Holifield said he has taken bits and pieces from numerous coaches to develop his own philosophies and theories in regards to basketball.

"Over the years, I've attended several clinics with some of the really big names in the coaching business--Rick Pitino, Bob Knight, Don Meyer, Gene Bess and others," Holifield said. "Everybody has their own style of play and philosophy, but I would always try to take what they said and apply it to my own situations. They are such masters at what they do and the things they say--if you have a chance to hear it or read it--I just always believed that if you could take some of it and apply it, then you should."

Now that Holifield will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, what left is there? His Bulldog program is still going strong, finishing 22-4 this past season and a final ranking of No. 6 in Class 4, but does Holifield still have that burning passion to teach and coach?

"I'm as excited about coaching now as I ever have been, and to me, there are always things for teams to accomplish," Holifield said. "Each year is different, but each year we want to be as good as we can be. That's the only way I've ever approached coaching. Our goals never change. We want to be as good as we can be."