John Widner was a giant in the basketball history of Morrilton High School, and an effort is underway to ensure that the former Devil Dog coach is remembered long into the future.
A committee is spearheading efforts to raise $50,000 to officially name the court at the still-under-construction Devil Dog Arena the Coach John Widner Court.
The group’s website, coachjohnwidnercourt.weebly.com, states, “We feel this is an appropriate honor for a man who coached, taught and guided so many students of Morrilton High School.”
Widner, who died in 1995, was one of the winningest coaches in Arkansas basketball history. According to the website, his overall record for 36 years was 875-197. He led the Devil Dog program for 14 seasons, taking MHS to six consecutive state championship games and winning the 1973 title with a 32-3 mark. His Devil Dog record was 344-64 while taking them to the state tournament 13 consecutive years.
What else made him worthy of such an honor?
“That’s kind of hard to put into words,” said Bruce Hawkins, a former Widner Devil Dog who “mainly sat by him on the bench.
“He was just a great person. He taught you a whole lot more than basketball. He taught you respect; he taught you discipline. He taught you how to deal with different circumstances, no matter if you were white, black or red.”
Hawkins, chair of the Widner Committee, said that over the years, several Morrilton students lived at the Southern Christian Home, an orphanage, “where those kids don’t have the luxury of a normal family life.”
Some played basketball; some didn’t.
“But a million times, I have seen him with those kids at his home with his family at Christmas,” Hawkins said. “That ought to tell you about John Widner. He was a good man. He was tough.
“Every person usually has about five people in their life who are major influences. He was one of mine. He probably was one for most of his players.”
John Hoyt, secretary-treasurer of the committee and Widner’s assistant from 1977-80, called Widner a general on the basketball court.
“He didn’t do anything different in preparation, but whenever the game began, he could size up the situation and make decisions and make changes,” Hoyt said. “He would size up the personnel on the other team.
“He knew the game. He could pick out strengths and weaknesses. He could size up a person — any individual, a player, you as a person — in just a few minutes. He was able to decide how he was going to handle things. I always like to think of him as a general, always making changes.”
Widner was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
According to the Carroll County News, Widner left high school during his junior year to become an infantryman in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was captured in Italy and spent nine months as a prisoner of war in Germany.
After the war, he attended Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and married the former Alice Howerton. After they had a son, Ron, in 1950, Widner dropped out of college to support his family.
His high school coaching career included stops at Omaha, Alpena (his alma mater), Green Forest, Flippin and Leachville before he landed at Morrilton. His Devil Dogs averaged 22 wins a season for 14 consecutive years.
Widner served as president of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association in 1973 and coached on the Arkansas High School All-Star staff a record seven times. He finished his career with the third-best win/loss record among the nation’s high school coaches.
The 1983-84 MHS yearbook was dedicated to Widner: “Coach Widner seems to have the knack of making a 5-8 young man think he is 6-2 and that they are all related to kangaroos. We’re going to miss Coach Widner but wish him well in his new job. We would like to thank him for being one of those people who help put Morrilton High School ‘Up Where We Belong.’”
Widner left Morrilton for Arkansas Tech, his alma mater, where he led his first Wonder Boy squad in 1984-85 to a 22-8 record and the school’s first Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference championship since 1962. He retired in 1987.
According to the website, voters in the South Conway County School District in September 2015 “overwhelmingly supported the measure to raise funds for the construction of many buildings around the district. Among these buildings is the new Devil Dog Arena at Morrilton High School.”
A lobby display will honor Widner, and the floor will include a logo officially naming the court for him.
Shawn Halbrook, superintendent of the district and a member of the committee, said the district enjoyed partnering with its alumni “to do something of excellence.”
“Coach Widner and our past just reflect excellence,” Halbrook said. “This is reflective of excellence in our community, and that’s why we want to honor Coach Widner in this arena.”
Widner’s grandson and namesake, John Widner, 32, is a 2003 graduate of Morrilton High School. His grandfather died when the younger John was a child.
“He was a unique guy,” John Widner said. “I remember going fishing with him. He loved to fish. He had a way with words. He could get his point across with very few words without getting excited.”
The younger Widner said the family is ecstatic about the plans for the new arena.
“I think he would be extremely proud and honored to have this going on and for his name to be there,” John Widner said.
Hoyt and Hawkins said that because of regulations regarding the use of tax dollars, donations were required to honor Widner with the court. Fundraising officially began June 1, and the first John Widner Memorial Devil Dog Open, a three-person scramble, is set for June 15 at the Morrilton Country Club.
“We want many of the old coaches and players to come and get a golf team together and sit around and visit and fellowship and talk about Coach Widner,” Hoyt said.
Other fundraising efforts include personal letters seeking donations from former Devil Dogs and supporters.
Hoyt said he hopes the 2017-18 Devil Dogs will be able to play at least part of the season on the new court.
“By the first of the year if not sooner, with good weather,” he said. “It’s going to be a great arena.”
Devil Dog Arena is going up “between the old gym and the new gym,” Hoyt said.
“When I worked with Coach Widner, we only had one gym,” he said. “I’d have to bring all the junior high kids in after school and sit them in the bleachers to wait until he finished practice.”
Hoyt remembers “great rivalries” at the old gym in 1972 and ’73, “when Coach Widner was really rolling.”
“But it wouldn’t seat but about 600 or 800 people,” Hoyt said. “We got the new gym probably in 1976 or ’77. We had the state tournament in the new gym when Willie Cutts and Bryant beat Alma in the finals.”
With Devil Dog Arena, MHS will be set for years to come.
And a legend will be honored and remembered.
For more information, visit coachjohnwidnercourt.weebly.com, which includes contact information for the committee members.