IBCA Hall of Fame class of 2018 includes local flavor

Posted on December 7, 2017

By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – Several local residents are members of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame class for 2018.

The IBCA announced its class on Thursday.

Coaches selected include Debbie Coffman of Central Catholic and Mia Smith of Illinois Wesleyan, while Terry Lootens was chosen in the Career Coach category for his work at Heyworth and University High.

Joe Galvin of Bloomington and Illinois State was chosen as a player, as were Amber Shelton Allan and Sara Stevenson of Illinois State.

Illinois Wesleyan’s national championship teams, the 1997 men and the 2012 women, were also selected for induction.

The annual IBCA Hall of Fame Banquet is on May 5, 2018 at Redbird Arena.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…