Coach Ron Spencer returns to Hartsburg-Emden Junior High Basketball program

[September 28, 2022]   

Coach Ron Spencer is returning to the sidelines after taking a year away to deal with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Happily, his cancer is in remission and he is excited to return to his hometown to take the reins of the Hartsburg-Emden Jr. High Basketball program.

Spencer started his coaching career at HARTEM back 1991. He helped guide the Stags to seven state tournament appearances including a state championship, 3rd place and 4th place finishes.

After four years at HARTEM, he moved to the girls side of basketball and coached junior high, Junior Varsity and Varsity for the next 24 years.

As varsity coach of the Flanagan-Cornell Lady Falcons program, Spencer guided his team to the 2008 1A IHSA State Championship. That team was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2020.

Spencer is a 1989 HARTEM graduate and excited to return to try to help the young Stags be competitive in the great basketball hotbed that resides in Logan County. “My goal for the program is to get the kids and the community excited about HARTEM basketball again.”

Spencer will be assisted by Coach Brad Ferguson.

[Text received from Coach Spencer]