Harry Statham facts for kids

Harry Statham (born May 30, 1937) is a famous American former basketball coach. He is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Basketball Hall of Fame. He coached for 52 seasons at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois.

Coach Statham won 1,122 games during his career. This makes him one of the top three basketball coaches ever in the United States. This includes coaches from all levels of college basketball. Only a few other coaches have won 1,000 or more games. These include Pat Summitt and Mike Krzyzewski.

In 2012, Statham was honored as one of the coaches on the NAIA 75th Anniversary All-Star Team.

Early Life and Education

Harry Statham was born on May 30, 1937, in Brookport, Illinois. His father passed away on the day Harry was born. Harry was raised by his mother and his grandfather, Rufus Dye. His grandfather taught him the importance of getting a good education. He also encouraged Harry to live a healthy lifestyle.

Harry's mother also wanted him to go to college. She taught him about having a good reputation. She stressed the importance of honesty, trustworthiness, and respect.

Statham earned his bachelor's degree from McKendree College in 1960. He then went to the University of Illinois. There, he helped with the men's basketball and track teams. He earned a master's degree in physical education from Illinois.

Family Life

Harry Statham is married to Rose Statham. They live in Belleville, Illinois. They do not have children.

Coaching Journey

Starting Out in Junior High

Statham started his coaching career while still in college at McKendree. He coached the boys' basketball team at O'Fallon Junior High School. He took his college classes at night.

High School Coaching

After junior high, Statham coached high school basketball. He led the varsity boys' team at Manito Forman High School (Manito, Illinois) for two seasons. Then, he coached at Dwight Township High School (Dwight, Illinois) for three seasons.

McKendree University Success

Coach Statham spent most of his career at McKendree University. He led the McKendree Bearcats to the post-season 40 times in 46 seasons. He also guided them to all 15 of their NAIA national men's basketball championship tournament appearances. This included five straight trips from 1999 to 2004.

Since his first season in 1966-67, his teams won almost 23 games per season on average. His teams won 20 or more games in 35 different seasons. McKendree is known as one of the top NAIA programs for its winning record.

Statham coached 70 players who received special awards after the season. Ten of these players were named NAIA All-Americans. He also coached three players who were drafted by professional teams. Many of his former players became successful coaches themselves.

Coach Statham always looked for players who were good people first. He wanted good students and then good basketball players. He believed in playing hard and working together as a team. He also coached calmly and did not yell at referees. He wanted his teams to play the game the right way.

Besides coaching, Statham was also the university's athletic director from 1966 to 2010. He also taught health and human performance.

Memorable Seasons

Coach Statham led many successful teams at McKendree. Here are some of their best seasons:

• 1987–88 Team: This team started with 22 wins in a row. They set a school record with 35 wins. They also made the NAIA Tournament for the first time. In their first tournament game, they scored a record 124 points.
• 1996–97 Team: This team reached the quarter-finals of the NAIA Tournament. They beat two higher-ranked teams to get to the "Elite Eight." This was their best finish at the national tournament until 2002–03.
• 2002–03 Team: This team had an amazing 34–4 record. They won their league without losing a single game (10–0). They made it to the NAIA Final Four, losing to the eventual champions. This team also earned McKendree's first-ever No. 1 ranking in the NAIA poll. Matt Laur from this team was named NAIA Player of the Year.
• 2008–09 Team: This team won their conference with a perfect 14–0 record. They finished the season with 30 wins and made it to the Elite Eight in the NAIA Tournament.

Major Milestones

Coach Statham reached many important milestones during his career:

• On November 15, 2002, he became the NAIA's all-time leader in career victories with his 817th win.
• On December 1, 2004, he passed Dean Smith for the all-time wins record among all college basketball coaches. This was his 880th win.
• On November 25, 2005, he reached 900 wins.
• On November 13, 2009, he earned his 1,000th win.
• On January 28, 2016, he tied Pat Summitt for the most wins by any college coach at the four-year level, with 1,098 victories.

Awards and Recognition

Harry Statham has received many honors for his coaching:

• He was named the NAIA-Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Men's Basketball Coach of the Year twelve times.
• He was inducted into the IBCA-NAIA Hall of Fame in 1987.
• In 1998, he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame.
• He won the American Midwest Conference Coach of the Year award eight times.
• He was named NAIA Men's Basketball Coach of the Year in 2001-02.
• In 2005, he received the Guardians of the Game Leadership Award from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
• The United States Sports Academy gave him its Distinguished Service Award.

In 2006, the city of Lebanon honored Statham by renaming a road on the McKendree campus "Harry Statham Way." The university's gymnasium, which holds 1500 people, is also named the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

See also

• List of college men's basketball career coaching wins leaders