Coach Correll

Benchie Coach

Coach Correll 1972

Coach Richard Correll is probably the man to receive the credit or blame for the creation of the Benchies and their story. A lesser coach might not have been as skilled as Coach Correll was at evaluating talent which might have allowed some of the Benchies to actually make it off the bench and onto the court.  As fun as that might have been for the Benchies to experience it surely would have set the game of basketball back to the pre “set-shot” days. So realizing the game of basketball was bigger than this one season Coach Correll followed his instincts and made sure none of the eight Benchies made it into a meaningful game. UCLA Coach John Wooden was once asked about this move and he was quoted as saying, “This was probably the best coaching decision he as ever seen. The great coach Bobby Knight was asked the same question which he responded with, “Those &^%# wouldn’t spend a %$#@#& minute in a *&^$# game if I was coaching those %#@%$^ morons.”  So it sounds like Coach Correll made the correct decision.

But then again maybe they did have talent.  Maybe the reason none of Benchies outside of John Bailey had a basketball career that lasted past the ninth grade was because they had their athletic spirits broken by spending so much time in the setting position at the end off the bench.  Most quit the game after the eventful 1972 season while two or three of the Benchies held out for one more year.

But what if they would have played?  Would Kent Williams go on to set scoring records, or could Bobby Lauck would end up being an All State power forward?  Was Jim Byrd born to play the game above the rim?  Would it have been proven that Norman West was really a distant cousin to Jerry West?  Nope, sorry guys but Coach Correll got it right.

But knowing that now doesn’t change how the Benchies felt at the time.  Once the Benchies figured out they weren’t going to be using their athletic talents they quickly moved to exploring their truly God given creative skills.  And showing off your creative skills can pay big dividends in a lot of areas of life but they don’t do much for you if you are trying to find playing time in a basketball game.

Coach Correll showed his skill as a basketball coach by keeping the Benchies off the playing floor but he really shined over the years as a football coach as he help lead the Webb City Cardinals to nine State Championships. That’s nine so far. Hopefully more to come. Great job Coach!!