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Wednesday, June 18, 2003 10:36 AM CDT
Oakley comes home: Cumberland grad named boys' basketball coach
BY MIKE MONAHAN, Staff Writer
TOLEDO -- After 14 years Brad Oakley, a 1989 Cumberland graduate, is coming home.
Oakley was hired by the Cumberland school board as the high school boy's basketball coach and physical education teacher. The board received over 20 applicants and interviewed four candidates.
"Brad is an outstanding young man," said Cumberland superintendent Keith Ashcraft. "His desire and passion to teach and coach is outstanding. It is always nice to have a coach on staff for communication and other things."
Oakley coached at Rantoul last season for the Eagles' final year in the Big 12 Conference. Prior to that Oakley coached at Newark, a Class A school. Oakley coached at Mahomet-Seymour for five years as the seventh grade (one year), eighth grade (two years) and assistant varsity coach (two years).
"It is something I always thought about -- to go home and see what we could do with the basketball program," said Oakley. "I am excited about the opportunity and excited to meet the kids and get going as soon as we can."
Oakley guided Newark to two regional championships and the school's first Little 10 Conference championship in seven years. The Norseman had seasons of 20-9, 15-13 and 17-10 under Oakley.
At Mahomet-Seymour, Oakley coached the 1996 eighth grade team to a state title and earned IESA North Coach of the Year honors.
"It was hard to leave Rantoul," said Oakley. "I worked the kids for a year and the even though we had two wins the kids worked hard and believed in what they were doing. It is tough to say goodbye to them after only one year, but I am excited to be at Cumberland."
Oakley replaces Les Wilson, who was 12-16 last season, doubling the win total of the previous year's 6-22 program he inherited. Wilson teaches at Oblong.
"We are very optimistic and pleased to have him," said Ashcraft. "He comes with excellent recommendations for both teaching and coaching."
Oakley is a former Journal-Gazette/Times-Courier all-area player, who was inducted into the Cumberland Hall of Fame in 1989 and later played at Lake Land.
"Coming home and being close to the family where I grew up and having a chance of building a program from where I went to school," Oakley said on why he decided to apply to Cumberland. "I know they have hard times in the past couple of years. I took a lot of pride when I played and I would like to try and bring that back."
The 2003-04 school year marks the first since the 1993-94 school year that Brad Oakley and his brother Brian Oakley are on the teaching and coaching staff at Cumberland. Brad Oakley was the junior high track coach and Brian Oakley was the high school boys' track coach. Brian Oakley continues as the boys' track coach.
"That makes it special," said Brad Oakley of being on the staff with his brother.
Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or call 238-6854.
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