Retired North Crawford basketball coach Gary Hines will be inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Wisconsin Dells on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Hines a 1972 graduate of North Crawford High School played under Hall of Fame coaches James McGrath at the junior varsity level and Bruce Keiser at the varsity level. He also went on to play at UW-Richland, where he was coached by Don Klaas, another Hall of Fame Coach in Illinois.

Hines returned to his alma mater in 1988 and began coaching both boys and girls junior high school basketball for two years.

 Then, he spent two years coaching the varsity girls team and recorded a 29-17 record.

Hines took over the boys varsity program at North Crawford in 1992 and began to rebuild it. His first three years were a real struggle and the team’s record was just 6-55.

Soon, the program turned around and the team went on to win 11 Ridge and Valley Conference Championships in his last 16 years of coaching. Under Hines, the Trojans also won four regional titles, one sectional title and had an appearance in the WIAA State Basketball Tournament in 1999.

In his career at North Crawford, Hines had six players chosen to play in the WBCA All-Star Games. He was also an assistant coach in 2001 for the Division 3 All-Star Team. Coach Gary Hines was voted ‘Coach of the Year’ in the Ridge and Valley Conference seven times and was selected as the Coulee Region Coach of the Year in 1999.

His overall record was 334-187 and his varsity boys basketball record was 305-170.

Coach Gary Hines shares this award with his assistant coaches Dennis Brown, Kyle Benson, and Mike Allbaugh. He also thanked his wife Lori and sons Kyle, Casey and Dustin for all of their support through the years.

As the wins and losses fade away, Coach Gary Hines appreciates all the memories associated with the game he loves. All the relationships developed over the years will never be forgotten. It has been a memorable career with an added bonus of being able to coach all three of his sons.

“I’m very honored to be among the great coaches I know, who are in the Hall of Fame,” Hines said of his selection. “To be included with them is quite an honor for me.”

Despite the fact, Hines coached basketball for 25 years including 21 years as the varsity boys coach, the veteran coach says he still has a burn in his belly to coach.

“I might not be done, you never know,” Hines said.

Like Seneca basketball coach Dave Boland, Hines coached at the school he played for and has coached there for his entire career.

The coach has always been extremely proud of North Crawford, which he affectionately describes as “a good little school.”

Of his 6-55 start with the North Crawford varsity boys basketball team, Hines can only chuckle to recall those years.

“I didn’t know what I was doing,” he said with a smile.

As for the great turn-around that followed, Hines credited the players.

“I got a little better as a coach, but we had better athletes,” he said.

Hines mentioned lots of players who helped to rebuild the program.

Anyone interested in attending Coach Gary Hines’ induction into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame is welcome to attend the banquet. It will be held at the Glacier Canyon Lodge at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells on Saturday, Sept. 27. Cocktails are at 4:30 p.m., the dinner is at 5:30 and program and video will follow.

To attend the banquet, contact Joan Petitgoue at 608-744-2585 or 608-778-2524.  They can also contact her by e-mail at tristate@jdpjmp.com or by mail at Joan Petitgoue, 605 South Randolph Street, Cuba City, WI 53807. Tickets are $40 each and anyone interested in ordering tickets should indicate which coach they wish to be seated near.