Last Saturday night was huge night for the Portageville School District. The school dedicated their high school gymnasium to Coach Jim Bidewell. He had coached the high school boys basketball team for 24 years. According to High School Principal Jeff Bullock, “This had been something the district and community has been wanting to do for quite awhile, but one thing stood in their path, and that was Coach Bidewell. He did not want to draw that much attention to him. He is a very humble man.”
However, after years of asking and urging coach to do this, he finally agreed.
As part of the Saturday evening dedication ceremony, the Portageville High School Student Council held a chili supper to honor Missouri Hall of Fame Coach Jim Bidewell. The Basketball Court Dedication ceremony and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony took place between the JV and Varsity games.
Bidewell said that he has led his teams to state playoffs seven times and won first place five times and took third place and fourth place the other two years.
Bidewell also noted that this has been his first and only job since he graduated from college.
During his tenure, he was inducted in to the Missouri Coaches Hall of Fame in Springfield. “That was a big honor for me. I must say, I have been very blessed since being here,” he said. “I have been very blessed to be in a school that did not put undo pressure on me to win. I have been blessed to have a great number of players that have made a lot of sacrifices. The team is as only as good as the players, and I have been blessed to have several good players.”
“I am thankful to live in a good community where parents give a lot of support, and I work in a good school system. Being here has afforded me opportunities to go elsewhere, but my wife, Marion, and I decided this is where we wanted our children to grow up and educate our children.”
“Also, to be apart of a great church who have a pastor to have stayed here as long as I have been, that is
not all that common either, especially in small towns. So there has been several good thing that have come my way undeservingly, and the memories to go along with it.”
“I got to coach both of my boys, although it may have been not good for them at times, and I got to see my daughter play basketball all four years. I have been blessed beyond measure.”
Bidewell graduated from Arkansas State University with a BS in Physical Education and a Master in Business Administration. He was raised in Poplar Bluff and played in all sports. His dad, the late Ben Bidewell, refereed mainly football and basketball.
“As a child, he grew up with a ball in his hands, Coach Bidewell, adding he has had several players go
and get their education and become coaches in other schools. That is a good honor in itself to see Portageville boys leave and coach at other school.”
A couple of others have continued to play ball in foreign countries, but none have made it to the NBA professional league.
Now both of his sons, Aaron and Jordan, are staying in the family business of coaching. Aaron is now at Hayti. He went to TRCC and played ball there, spent one year in Springfield and finished at ASU.
His son, Jordan, is head coach at Clarkton.
“I also want to give a lot of credit to my wife. She has been my rock for all these years and more. I probably would have resigned several times before if it were not for her. She was always good with the kids and always made it kind of a family atmosphere with the kids. She deserves a lot more of the credit that I do,” Bidewell concluded.
Throughout his coaching career at Portageville High School, he has compiled a win-loss record of 542-170
• 14 time “Bootheel Conference” Champions
• 11-time 2A District Champions
• 1-time Class 3 District Champions
• 7 final Four appearances
• 5 State Championship
• 2 Undefeated seasons at 31-0 in 1991 and 1993 (both teams selected to Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
• 14-time Bootheel Conference “Coach of the Year”
• 5-time Missouri Class 2 'Coach of the Year”
It was a good night for the Portageville Bulldogs basketball teams as both teams won their matches against the Gideon Bulldogs. The Jayvee team won 31-20, and the varsity team won, 79-28.