Bloomington South coach, former Scottsburg and Southwestern (Hanover) coach cited for long tenures of excellence
The REPORTER
One current and one former Indiana high school basketball coach have been recognized as the Indiana honorees of the John Wooden Legacy Coaching Award presented by the National High School Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Thursday (March 14).
J.R. Holmes, the current boys’ coach at Bloomington South, and Donna Cheatham, a former girls’ coach at Scottsburg and Southwestern (Hanover), are the 2023-24 honorees from the Hoosier state as nominated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The two coaches are among those recognized from across the nation in an NHSBCA program coordinated with the Wooden Family.
The award honors scholastic basketball coaches from around the country who are educators and have achieved excellence on the floor, in the classroom and in the community that further embody the characteristics and legacy of the late John Wooden. Honorees may be current or retired coaches. The criteria for the award are rooted in the ideals of education, longevity, character, service and excellence.
Holmes, who recently completed his 54th season as a varsity coach, is the state’s all-time leader in boys’ basketball victories with a 911-372 record. Cheatham, who retired from coaching in 2020 as the state’s all-time leader in girls’ basketball victories, posted a career mark of 730-274 in a combined 45 seasons at Scottsburg and Southwestern (Hanover).
Holmes guided the Bloomington South boys to a 15-11 record in 2023-24. He became the state’s first coach to reach 900 victories on Dec. 15, 2023, and his overall mark includes a 768-254 ledger in 42 seasons with the Panthers.
That record includes 18 conference championships, 22 sectional trophies, eight regional crowns, two semi-state titles and Class 4A state championships in 2009 and 2011. Bloomington South has been a “final four” team six times and an “elite eight” squad 10 times during Holmes’ 42 seasons at the school.
Holmes has coached 10 players – including his son Jonathan in 1999, 2009 Mr. Basketball Jordan Hulls and 2020 Mr. Basketball Anthony Leal – who were chosen to the Indiana All-Star team, and he was the Indiana All-Star team coach in 2001. His other All-Star players were Chris Lawson in 1989, Kyle Hankins in 2001, Cole Holmstrom in 2006, Erik Fromm in 2010, Dee Davis in 2011, Tucker Blackwell in 2016 and Chance Coyle in 2018.
In addition, Holmes was named IBCA District 5 Coach of the Year in 1999 and an IBCA District 3 Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2019. He has earned numerous local and conference Coach of the Year honors, was named USA Today’s National Coach of the Year in 2009 and was recognized with the national Wilson/Outstanding High School Coach Award from the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2021.
Among his former assistant coaches who have become head coaches is Garrett Winegar, the current Fishers boys coach.
Holmes was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Cheatham, 78, directed Scottsburg to a 14-10 finish in 2019-20 to complete her 45-year career as a girls’ varsity coach with a 730-274 slate. That included a 379-80 mark in 22 seasons at Scottsburg from 1972-94, a 198-92 record at Southwestern (Hanover) from 1997-2009 and a 153-102 mark from 2009-2020 in a second tenure at Scottsburg.
As a varsity coach, Cheatham’s teams won 21 sectionals, 11 regionals, five semi-states and two state championships – 1989 with Scottsburg and 2002 in Class 2A with Southwestern. The 2003 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee was Indiana’s first girls basketball coach two guide teams to state championships at two schools, and her 1988 and 1989 Scottsburg squads both were ranked 13th nationally by USA Today. In addition, her teams twice were state runners-up – 1986 with Scottsburg and 2003 in Class 2A with Southwestern. Scottsburg also qualified for the four-team IHSAA State Finals in 1988.
Cheatham’s teams posted 40 winning seasons during her career, and she has been recognized with various “Coach of the Year” accolades on 39 occasions. Among those are IBCA District 5 Coach of the Year in 1988, IBCA District 4 Coach of the Year in 2002 and ICGSA Class 2A State Coach of the Year in 2002.
Such success meant that Cheatham guided numerous outstanding players. Among the standouts were:
Eight players who were chosen to the Indiana All-Stars headlined by 1989 Indiana Miss Basketball Renee Westmoreland. Cheatham’s other All-Star players were Pam Jones (1976), Cindy Piet (1977), Roxanne Cox (1983), Sheryl Bonsett (1985), Leslie Ferrell (1986), Cara Gullion (1988) and Brianna Howard (2002).
Two IHSAA Mental Attitude Award winners – Tadgi DeBerg (1986) and Brianna Howard (2002).
Cheatham also twice served as head coach of the Indiana All-Stars in the annual home-and-home series with Kentucky (1986 and 2002), one of only two people to lead the girls’ All-Stars twice. In addition, Cheatham coached in the 1989 HBCA All-Star Classic, the 1990 East/West Indiana All-Star Classic and the 2002 North/South Indiana All-Star Classic.