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Business News
Independence, MO —
Dale Williams, the former girls basketball coach at Fort Osage High School and member of the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, died Wednesday afternoon.
Williams, 76, fell and broke his hip New Year's Day and his health deteriorated after the fall. He has been treated at a hospice recently.
Williams, who coached WNBA standout Betty Lennox and William Chrisman girls basketball coach Lindsay Thompson at Fort Osage, had a career record of 401-192 coaching girls and 61-47 coaching boys.
“I wish I could put into words what Coach Williams means to me,” Thompson said. “I remember meeting him when I was in eighth grade and he came up to me and told me what position I was going to play the next four years at Fort Osage.
“He made my cry every day my freshman year, but I knew it was tough love.”
His career included a total of 14 conference championships, six district championships, five sectional championships and 12 invitational tournament championships.
He was named the conference coach of the year 13 times and was The Examiner's Coach of the Year twice.
Ironically, Thompson's Bears will play at Fort Osage at 5:30 p.m. Friday. All former players who were coached by Williams are asked to attend and take part in a short pregame ceremony at 5:15 p.m.
Dale Williams, the former girls basketball coach at Fort Osage High School and member of the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, died Wednesday afternoon.
Williams, 76, fell and broke his hip New Year's Day and his health deteriorated after the fall. He has been treated at a hospice recently.
Williams, who coached WNBA standout Betty Lennox and William Chrisman girls basketball coach Lindsay Thompson at Fort Osage, had a career record of 401-192 coaching girls and 61-47 coaching boys.
“I wish I could put into words what Coach Williams means to me,” Thompson said. “I remember meeting him when I was in eighth grade and he came up to me and told me what position I was going to play the next four years at Fort Osage.
“He made my cry every day my freshman year, but I knew it was tough love.”
His career included a total of 14 conference championships, six district championships, five sectional championships and 12 invitational tournament championships.
He was named the conference coach of the year 13 times and was The Examiner's Coach of the Year twice.
Ironically, Thompson's Bears will play at Fort Osage at 5:30 p.m. Friday. All former players who were coached by Williams are asked to attend and take part in a short pregame ceremony at 5:15 p.m.
