- Dec 31, 2018
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Somehow I missed this last week, but, on January 21st, DC area basketball coaching legend Morgan Wootten passed away at the age of 88. Most of our board members grew up in Florida and may not know much about him, but when I was growing up in DC, everyone knew who Coach Wootten was. During his run at St. John DeMatha ("DeMatha") High School, from 1956 to 2002, his teams won 1274 games, 5 "National Titles", 33 league titles and 22 DC championships. A dozen of his former players later played in the NBA and over 150 played college basketball. (When I was in HS, he was on streak that lasted for many years of every graduating senior on the team having been offered a scholarship to play college ball.) John Wooden once said of Wootten; "I know of no finer coach at any level -- high school, college, or pro. I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it here: I stand in awe of him." Pretty high praise for a high school coach.
My cousin went to DeMatha and had the privilege of being in Coach Wootten's Freshman World History Class. He once told me Coach Wootten may have been best known for his coaching prowess, but to him, Coach Wootten would be remembered first as one of the finest teachers he ever had. RIP Coach.
My cousin went to DeMatha and had the privilege of being in Coach Wootten's Freshman World History Class. He once told me Coach Wootten may have been best known for his coaching prowess, but to him, Coach Wootten would be remembered first as one of the finest teachers he ever had. RIP Coach.