Two former successful high school basketball coaches were recognized as the Indiana honorees for 2024-25 in the John Wooden Legacy Coaching Award program presented by the National High School Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Wednesday (Feb. 19).
Bill Patrick, retired former coach at Sidney, South Whitley, Whitko and Tippecanoe Valley, and Jan Conner, retired former coach at Warren Central, Benton Central, Martinsville and Lafayette Jefferson, are the 2024-25 winners from the Hoosier state as nominated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The two were among 46 honorees from 23 states in an NHSBCA program coordinated with the Wooden Family.
The award recognizes scholastic basketball coaches from around the nation who are educators and have achieved excellence on the floor, in the classroom and in the community that further embody the characteristics and legacy of the late John Wooden. The criteria for the award are rooted in the ideals of education, longevity, character, service and excellence.
Patrick, who turns 88 on March 6, posted a 764-318 record with 21 conference titles, 16 sectional championships, three regional crowns and one semi-state trophy in 48 seasons as an Indiana varsity boys’ basketball coach. That total includes a 13-9 mark in one season at Sidney, a 64-24 record in four seasons at South Whitley, a 399-147 slate in 24 seasons at Whitko and a 288-138 ledger in 19 seasons at Tippecanoe Valley.
At South Whitley, his team won the 1970 Kosciusko County Tournament. At Whitko, his teams captured 11 sectionals, two regionals (1990, 1991), a 1991 semi-state and eight Three Rivers Conference titles. At Tippecanoe Valley, his teams claimed five sectionals, a 2000 regional, 13 additional TRC titles and seven holiday tournament crowns. He posted an undefeated regular season at Whitko in 1979-80 and had a No. 1 state ranking in Class 3A at Tippecanoe Valley in 2003-04. His teams totaled 10 20-win seasons and just five losing seasons, the first of those after 39 consecutive winning seasons.
Patrick was selected IBCA District 2 Coach of the Year in 1980, the NFHS Indiana and district Coach of the Year in 2000 and the Manchester College “M” Association Claude Wolfe Coach of the Year in 2004. He served as an assistant coach for the 1993 Indiana All-Stars, coached two All-Star players – Jeff Peters (1984) and Steve Nicodemus (1991) – and 17 players who received some level of all-state recognition.
Patrick was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and into the Kosciusko County Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. His first varsity victory came on Nov. 1, 1963 (Sidney defeated Leesburg 83-61), and his final varsity triumph came on Feb. 24, 2017 (53-42 over Wawasee).
Patrick is a 1956 graduate of Sidney High School, where he was class valedictorian and earned 11 varsity letters (three in basketball, four in baseball and four in track & field). He matriculated to Manchester College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies and physical education. He later earned a master’s degree in physical education at Ball State in 1967.
He began coaching basketball while an undergraduate, guiding Sidney Junior High teams from 1958-60. He followed by coaching elementary and junior teams at Clay Township in 1960-61 and at Burket Junior High from 1961-63. He was the varsity coach at Sidney in 1963-64, the last year the school existed before it became part of South Whitley. In 1964-65, he coached the Sidney Junior High team, then assisted at South Whitley from 1965-67.
Patrick was varsity coach from 1967-71 at South Whitley, which then consolidated with Larwill and Pierceton into Whitko. He was the Whitko coach for 24 seasons, took a three-year break, then coached at Tippecanoe Valley for 19 seasons. After stepping down as head coach, he assisted his son Chad for five additional seasons at Tippecanoe Valley.
He also compiled a 310-101 mark with eight conference crowns and one sectional title in 15 seasons as a varsity baseball coach. At various points, he also coached track and boys’ volleyball.
Patrick and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 65 years. They have four children (Brett, Teresa, Chad and Michelle), six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Conner, 72, is honored after compiling a 481-100 record with 18 conference titles, 17 sectional crowns, nine regional trophies, four semi-state titles and two state championships in 26 seasons as an Indiana varsity girls’ basketball coach.
Her total includes a 30-6 mark with one sectional title in two seasons at Warren Central, a 292-43 record with 12 sectionals, seven regionals and two semi-states in 15 seasons at Benton Central, a 115-27 ledger with three sectionals, two regionals, two semi-states and two state titles in six seasons at Martinsville and a 44-24 slate with one sectional crown in three seasons at Lafayette Jefferson.
Notably, Conner’s teams at Martinsville won Indiana’s last non-class state tournament at 26-1 in 1997, the state’s first Class 4A title (and Tournament of Champions event) at 29-0 in 1998, claimed an Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Classic championship in December 1997 and had a 55-game winning streak from November 1996 until November 1998. Over her coaching career, her teams posted 10 20-win seasons and six undefeated regular seasons – 1977-78, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1987-88 and 1997-98.
In addition, Conner served as a floor coach for USA Basketball in North Team Trials for the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1989 and 1995. She also coached at international camps in Africa in 1985 and in Norway in 1994.
Bill Patrick, retired former coach at Sidney, South Whitley, Whitko and Tippecanoe Valley, and Jan Conner, retired former coach at Warren Central, Benton Central, Martinsville and Lafayette Jefferson, are the 2024-25 winners from the Hoosier state as nominated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The two were among 46 honorees from 23 states in an NHSBCA program coordinated with the Wooden Family.
The award recognizes scholastic basketball coaches from around the nation who are educators and have achieved excellence on the floor, in the classroom and in the community that further embody the characteristics and legacy of the late John Wooden. The criteria for the award are rooted in the ideals of education, longevity, character, service and excellence.
Patrick, who turns 88 on March 6, posted a 764-318 record with 21 conference titles, 16 sectional championships, three regional crowns and one semi-state trophy in 48 seasons as an Indiana varsity boys’ basketball coach. That total includes a 13-9 mark in one season at Sidney, a 64-24 record in four seasons at South Whitley, a 399-147 slate in 24 seasons at Whitko and a 288-138 ledger in 19 seasons at Tippecanoe Valley.
At South Whitley, his team won the 1970 Kosciusko County Tournament. At Whitko, his teams captured 11 sectionals, two regionals (1990, 1991), a 1991 semi-state and eight Three Rivers Conference titles. At Tippecanoe Valley, his teams claimed five sectionals, a 2000 regional, 13 additional TRC titles and seven holiday tournament crowns. He posted an undefeated regular season at Whitko in 1979-80 and had a No. 1 state ranking in Class 3A at Tippecanoe Valley in 2003-04. His teams totaled 10 20-win seasons and just five losing seasons, the first of those after 39 consecutive winning seasons.
Patrick was selected IBCA District 2 Coach of the Year in 1980, the NFHS Indiana and district Coach of the Year in 2000 and the Manchester College “M” Association Claude Wolfe Coach of the Year in 2004. He served as an assistant coach for the 1993 Indiana All-Stars, coached two All-Star players – Jeff Peters (1984) and Steve Nicodemus (1991) – and 17 players who received some level of all-state recognition.
Patrick was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and into the Kosciusko County Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. His first varsity victory came on Nov. 1, 1963 (Sidney defeated Leesburg 83-61), and his final varsity triumph came on Feb. 24, 2017 (53-42 over Wawasee).
Patrick is a 1956 graduate of Sidney High School, where he was class valedictorian and earned 11 varsity letters (three in basketball, four in baseball and four in track & field). He matriculated to Manchester College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies and physical education. He later earned a master’s degree in physical education at Ball State in 1967.
He began coaching basketball while an undergraduate, guiding Sidney Junior High teams from 1958-60. He followed by coaching elementary and junior teams at Clay Township in 1960-61 and at Burket Junior High from 1961-63. He was the varsity coach at Sidney in 1963-64, the last year the school existed before it became part of South Whitley. In 1964-65, he coached the Sidney Junior High team, then assisted at South Whitley from 1965-67.
Patrick was varsity coach from 1967-71 at South Whitley, which then consolidated with Larwill and Pierceton into Whitko. He was the Whitko coach for 24 seasons, took a three-year break, then coached at Tippecanoe Valley for 19 seasons. After stepping down as head coach, he assisted his son Chad for five additional seasons at Tippecanoe Valley.
He also compiled a 310-101 mark with eight conference crowns and one sectional title in 15 seasons as a varsity baseball coach. At various points, he also coached track and boys’ volleyball.
Patrick and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 65 years. They have four children (Brett, Teresa, Chad and Michelle), six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Conner, 72, is honored after compiling a 481-100 record with 18 conference titles, 17 sectional crowns, nine regional trophies, four semi-state titles and two state championships in 26 seasons as an Indiana varsity girls’ basketball coach.
Her total includes a 30-6 mark with one sectional title in two seasons at Warren Central, a 292-43 record with 12 sectionals, seven regionals and two semi-states in 15 seasons at Benton Central, a 115-27 ledger with three sectionals, two regionals, two semi-states and two state titles in six seasons at Martinsville and a 44-24 slate with one sectional crown in three seasons at Lafayette Jefferson.
Notably, Conner’s teams at Martinsville won Indiana’s last non-class state tournament at 26-1 in 1997, the state’s first Class 4A title (and Tournament of Champions event) at 29-0 in 1998, claimed an Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Classic championship in December 1997 and had a 55-game winning streak from November 1996 until November 1998. Over her coaching career, her teams posted 10 20-win seasons and six undefeated regular seasons – 1977-78, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1987-88 and 1997-98.
In addition, Conner served as a floor coach for USA Basketball in North Team Trials for the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1989 and 1995. She also coached at international camps in Africa in 1985 and in Norway in 1994.
