GUY, ARK. (KFSM) – John Hutchcraft has been roaming the sidelines at Guy-Perkins High School in Faulkner County for the past 41 seasons and as his career winds down, the veteran coach was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Hutchcraft was named the top high school girls basketball coach in the nation and will be presented the Morgan Wootten Award. Gene Pingatore from St. Joseph High School (Westchester, Ill.) was the boys coach of the year.
“Gene Pingatore and John Hutchcraft have undoubtedly had a positive impact on those they have coached, all while collecting wins and hardware along the way,” said Morgan Wootten, the award’s namesake and five-time High School National Champion. “I applaud them for their outstanding decades-long effort, their dedication to the game, and the impact they’ve had on countless student-athletes.”
Hutchcraft, who also coached the boys basketball program for 25 seasons at Guy-Perkins, has a career record of 2,007-596 while winning 10 state championships (five girls & five boys). He also led the Thunderbirds to nine state runner-up finishes.
