January 17, 2012
Two men will be inducted into the North Central Missouri College Athletic Hall of Fame this Saturday afternoon during the Pirates and Lady Pirates basketball games with St. Louis Community College. Dr. John Holcomb, volunteer clock operator, and Dale Kimberling, former basketball coach, are the honorees.
John Holcomb has been a volunteer clock operator for the NCMC basketball program since 2001. Dr. Holcomb has volunteered for many years for Trenton-area sports as he has been the announcer for high school football for more than 20 years. This new honor adds to an impressive list of awards already received by Dr. Holcomb. He is a member of the NCMC Foundation’s Distinguished Alumni class, and he received the Paul Morris Community Service Award from the Missouri School Boards Association several years ago in recognition of the countless hours he has devoted to strengthening his community and improving its schools. Dr. Holcomb is currently serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of NCMC and prior to that he served 14 years on the Trenton R-9 School Board. He is a lifelong resident of Trenton and graduated from Trenton High School and Trenton Junior College, now NCMC.
Dale Kimberling coached Pirates men’s basketball from 1979 until the basketball programs went into hiatus in 1987. He compiled a record of 133 wins and 113 losses, finishing three seasons with 20 or more wins. From Trenton, Kimberling returned to State Fair Community College in Sedalia, where he had formerly been an assistant basketball coach, to become the head women’s coach. Kimberling retired about five years ago to his native south Missouri. Coach Kimberling’s nomination to the Hall of Fame selection committee said, “Dale was an excellent coach who displayed a tremendous amount of caring for his players. His concern for the future of his student/athletes after they left college was not always apparent to basketball fans, but I know it was a strong theme throughout his tenure at TJC. Also, he was able to bring out the best of his athletes on the court as they played with both pride and a desire to win.”
The NCMC Athletic Hall of Fame was implemented in 2005 to recognize the accomplishments of former athletes, coaches, and supporters of college athletics. Names of its members are engraved on a plaque on permanent display in the Ketcham Community Center.
A reception is planned prior to the basketball doubleheaders on Saturday, January 21, at 1 p.m. in the Sugg Room of the Ketcham Community Center on the college campus. The public is encouraged to attend to congratulate Dr. Holcomb and Coach Kimberling. Also, a special presentation will be made just before the basketball games at 2 p.m. Both honorees have indicated they plan to attend.