Loren Wallace - Nokomis High School 1971 - 1989

[February 02, 2020] 

High School Athletics provide us with the chance to encompass education, leadership skills and physical strengths to shape young minds for the future. Some the world’s most successful leaders have been high school athletes. Tonight, we honor the coaches who have had an integral part in teaching and developing young people through competitive nature of sports. We wish to thank the school administration from Lincoln and Nokomis for allowing us to exercise our presentation tonight. The amount of respect between these two schools is what brings us here this evening.

Coach Loren Wallace, came to Nokomis High School in 1971 after spending four years as an assistant at Litchfield, departed Nokomis after four seasons to become head coach at Lincoln. During his time at Nokomis, he helped lay the groundwork for two future high school coaches, Steve Kimbro and Neil Alexander.

Coach Wallace spent 12 years here at Lincoln Community High School, guiding the Railers to a fourth-place finish at the Illinois High School Association Class AA state tournament in 1980. Coach Wallace would then coach for 3 years at Bloomington and 14 at Quincy, where the Blue Devils finished third at state tournament in 1998. Many Railer fans will remember the rivalry of Lincoln and Quincy and Coach Wallace was at the forefront of the mutual respect between both programs.

When Coach Wallace retired from active coaching, he amassed 682 career victories, a few trips to the state tournament and was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1989.

Coach Wallace is proud of the legacy he was able to pass down to his players. But little did he know, the impact he would have on Steve Kimbro, John Flowers and Neil Alexander, three former students and players of his, who would go on to become successful coaches on their own merit. Coach Wallace…what a testament that must be to you… and I know we are all thankful for it!

Tonight, we honor the 40th Anniversary of the 1980 IHSA Class AA Fourth Place State Tournament Team…under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach Loren Wallace.

[Text received from Cameron Kurtz]