Feb. 6, 2008

Springfield, MA - The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced Jim Smiddy - former girl's basketball coach at Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, Tennessee as the second recipient of the Morgan Wootten Award: For Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball.

The annual Award honors both a girl's and boy's basketball coach who has achieved extraordinary results and made a significant contribution to the game of basketball at the high school level. Receiving the award for boy's high school basketball coach is Joseph Gallagher.

Coach Wootten expresses his high regard for this years' winner. "In honoring Jim Smiddy, we are honoring the only coach who collectively held the title of winningest coach in boys and girls high school basketball history. He was indeed one of the founding fathers of girl's high school basketball and was a real guardian of the game."

Jim Smiddy led Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, Tennessee for 44 seasons as head coach winning 1,217 games against 206 defeats. His teams won five state championships, two National Championships and had two back-to-back undefeated seasons totaling 90 consecutive wins. Additionally, coach Smiddy guided his teams to 24 District Championships, 17 Regional and 14 sub-state titles. He is the all-time winningest coach in girl's high school basketball history and is an inductee of the National High School Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Coach Smiddy passed of a heart attack in July of 1995. Mr. Wootten will present the Award to coach's wife Gloria Smiddy this March in Milwaukee at the 2008 McDonald's High School All-America Game. Coach Gallagher will receive his award in Milwaukee in March as well.

Named in honor of legendary DeMatha High School (MD) coach and Hall of Famer Morgan Wootten, the Award winners are selected by a blue-ribbon panel comprised of national media members covering high school basketball, executives with a significant role in high school and amateur basketball, and elite coaches.

The inaugural recipient of Morgan Wootten Award for girl's high school basketball was Leta Andrews, America's winningest female girl's coach of Granbury High School in Granbury, Texas.

Coach Wootten was enshrined as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, becoming the first and only coach to be elected as a result of his or her high school coaching achievements. Wootten, a graduate of the University of Maryland, coached at DeMatha for 46 seasons, compiling an astounding 1,274-192 win/loss record. Over 150 of his players went on to play in college, with many also starring in the NBA. Coach Wootten has won numerous coaching and teaching awards and accolades for his work, and still is active teaching others about the game he loves.