4
A heart for the
game...all 2,000 of them O
Stan Bickley By Sarah Zimmerman, Features Editor
n January 21, Coach Stan Bickley coached his 2000th game while at the
school. Emails went out to parents about a surprise ten minute ceremony for Bickley in between the boys and girls games to rec- ognize this achievement. Standing by his side through the entire ceremony was his wife who has sat in the stands for nearly all of those games. Basketball for the Bickleys is a part of their life, and it will continue to be for years to come. “I actually have been coaching 34 1/2
years, in only 3 places: Waupaca Christian, Wisconsin; Valley Christian, Santa Maria, and Tri-City Christian,” said Bickley. With 1327 wins and 673 losses under
his belt, Bickley has experience on and off the court in the realm of sports; but it didn’t start that way. In high school, Bickley only played one year of high school basketball before a family accident stopped him from joining the team again, but Bickley contin- ued to play basketball outside of school. It wasn’t until he had a family of his own that coaching came into the picture. “They were going to start a little Chris-
tian school in Waupaca. I really hoped they wouldn’t, I knew that if I sent my boys there, they wouldn’t be able to play sports. In the Mid-west, it’s a big thing to play for your high school team. Through a lot of conviction, I ended up sending them there, and also starting the sports program. They asked me to coach, so I did,” said Bickley.
Bickley brings his Wisconsin roots to the
game in everything he does. He even has several plays named for cities, his favorite NFL team, and even an opposing school. “I’ve used these names from the time
I began, and most of them are Wisconsin names. There was one play, Walker Town; it was a name of a school we were playing at a tournament. They ran that [particular] play and scored a big bucket on me, so I stole it and later named it after them,” said Bickley. When Bickley came to the school as the
new athletic director, several things became clear to him as he stepped up to the position as head coach for both men’s and women’s varsity basketball. “Basketball was king where I came
from, and here it isn’t the main sport. There wasn’t a basketball background for many of the players,” said Bickley. There was already a program in place,
though it consisted of only a couple seniors and mainly underclassmen with limited experience. “It’s like anything, when you build, you
have to be committed and patient. And try hard even in the little areas. Stay inspired and just keep grinding, it’s the only way,” said Bickley. Four years later and the program is now
strong and still growing. Since Bickley came, the girls gained their first JV team and the boys expanded to three teams in-
cluding a Frosh/Soph team. Bickley uses a different style in coaching than most; he brings God into every aspect of the game. He starts every practice off with devotions and prayer, as well as prayer before and af- ter each game. Over the years, Bickley has led several people to Christ and was even asked to participate in several of his old players weddings because of the impact he had on them as a coach. “Way back when I went into [basket-
ball], I really depended on the Lord in his leading, He has been such a blessing to me and I want to share it. That is the strength I think of the program itself, so right from the beginning I’ve used it and received as many blessings from that area as I have from coaching,” said Bickley. This year’s teams are already exhibit-
ing Coach Bickley’s style when the shouts for “Alabama” or “Ellis” are called during the game. “We play a wide open game, up tem-
po basketball, and we like to win,” said Bickley. On the first day Stan Bickley took the
court as the men’s and women’s basketball coach here in 2006, he realized that getting the job was the easy part. Getting the pro- gram into shape was going to be the big- ger challenge. Now, after four and a half years, the women’s team boasts a 13-4 season and Bickley coached them for his 2000th game.
A spiritual champion with 1327 wins and 673 losses, Coach Stan Bickley celebrated his 2000th game on January 21. “I feel very blessed and privileged that God has given me such a rich 34 years in basketball,” said Bickley. Photo by Sarah Zimmerman
“I feel very blessed and privileged that
God has given me such a rich 34 years in basketball, it being a big part of not only my life but also my family’s, it has been such a blessing,” said Bickley.
-News-
The Eagle Flyer
Surprised by his recognition, Coach Stan Bickley graciously receives acknowledgment from the school and his basketball teams. His 2000th game marks the years he has spent mentoring and blessing the lives of his players. Photo by Sarah Zimmerman
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Standing in the middle of his girls’ varsity basketball team, Bickley encourages his girls before a game. With dedication and teamwork, Bickley built up the school’s basketball program into what it is today. Photo by Rodger Brenzel
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