Wally Halas ’73, MPA ’93, Clark’s Hall of Fame basketball coach was feted at a Sept. 25 dinner that drew former players, coaches, and many well-wishers to the Kneller Athletic Center, the site of most of his 233 career wins and now the official home of the Wally Halas Coach’s Box. The 38-foot-long rectangular space in front of the home bench was Halas’ territory during his Clark coaching career (1974-1987), and he roamed within it — and sometimes outside it — in the hunt for victory after victory. Under Halas, the men’s team achieved an astonishing 108-8 record inside the Kneller against Division 3 opponents.
Tributes to Halas at the Friday dinner, organized by former players Jay Ash ’83 and Kevin Cherry ’81, and emceed by Ash, recalled the coaching legend’s inspiring accomplishments on the sidelines, including 10 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, but more profoundly the enduring impact he had on his players across their lifetime. When Halas pulled away the tarp to reveal the newly inscribed Coach’s Box, his grateful players raised a glass in honor of their coach.
The accolades and awards are all things that you can look at and cherish, but when I look over this room, I think this is what Wally really cherishes.
Coach Wally Halas had an extraordinary impact on the university, the game of basketball, and on many of us fortunate enough to have known him, played for him, and learned from him.
Wally, you demonstrated that the deepest measure of a coach is not simply the record left in the books but the values carried forward in the lives of those you coached.
Wally, we want to win the way you did, but ultimately, it’s about getting a group of guys to become a family.
Wally, simply put, we’re here tonight to say something that probably can’t be said enough: You are a legend.
