Hall of Fame
Since 1999, the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association has honored area coaches with induction into the Hall of Fame. The criteria for selection include: 20 years as a head basketball coach (high school or college), with 15 years in the Kansas City area, a minimum of 300 career wins as a high school varsity or college head coach, positive role model for players, school and community; and positive impact/influence on Kansas City basketball and their own program(s).
A player category was added in 2017.
Class of 2022
Steve Cassity
Schlagle/Wichita State/Hickman Mills/Truman
Steve Cassity’s coaching career spanned 28 years including 22 years as a high school Head Women’s Basketball coach.
Cassity began his coaching career as a middle school basketball coach before moving up to the high school level as an assistant coach at Schlagle for two years before becoming the Head Women’s Coach in the 1994-95 season. During his 4 year stint, his teams won 3 conference titles and he received 3 conference coach of the year honors.
He next moved on to the collegiate ranks serving as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Wichita State University for 2 years before returning to the high school ranks to become the Head Women’s Basketball coach at Hickman Mills. He served as their coach for 6 years before becoming the head coach at Truman where he coached the Patriots for 12 years. During his 18 years combined at Hickman Mills and Truman his teams captured 11 conference titles earning him 11 conference Coach of the Year awards.
During his career, he amassed 427 wins with an overall winning percentage of 76%. Most impressive is his accomplishment of leading 3 of his teams to an undefeated regular season, with one each at all 3 schools where he served as head coach.
Thirteen of his former players moved on to play at the NCAA Division I level, most notably Tyra White of Hickman Mills who was part of a national championship team at Texas A&M University.
Steve has one son, Jaden Cassity (15).
Jeff Atkins
Bishop Hogan/Notre Dame de Sion/Lincoln Prep/St.Pius X/ Penn Valley
Jeff Atkins is a native of Kansas City having graduated from Bishop Hogan High School. He played four years of collegiate basketball for Ottawa University, graduating in 1991 with a degree in Business Administration.
In the fall of 1991, Atkins began his coaching career at Bishop Hogan with the junior varsity men’s program before moving to the women’s program. In 1993, Atkins started up the KC Lady Dream Team while continuing to coach the Bishop Hogan women.
1999 found Atkins back in Kansas City area high school gyms, this time as coach of women’s varsity basketball. The record he amassed speaks for itself. In three years at Notre Dame de Sion High School (1999-2002), he picked up back-to-back state championships. In four years (2002-2006) at Lincoln College Preparatory High School, Atkins brought back a state quarterfinalist plaque and a 2nd place state trophy. Finally, at St. Pius X High School (2006-2007), a program that was expected to win 10 games or less, Atkins again brought home a state quarterfinalist plaque.
Currently ranked 3rd in winning percentages in the State of Missouri Girls’ High School Basketball, Atkins has an impressive career high school record of 580 wins – only 341 losses.
In his first two years on the collegiate level, Coach Atkins was awarded NJCAA DII Region XVI Coach of the Year and NJCAA District Coach of the Year with two players receiving 1st team and two players receiving 2nd team all-region honors. Atkins and his staff took the Penn Valley Lady Scouts to the NJCAA DII National Tournament. The Lady Scouts ended up 8th in the Nation in 2007 and 12th in the nation in 2008. One Lady Scout earned All-Tournament honor while another earned All-American. His collegiate record is 40-25.
Coach Atkins also amassed quite a winning record in AAU ball. His teams have been state champions in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 ,2008,2009,2011and 2012. Nationally his teams have taken 13th, 7th, 5th, 2nd and 1st place finishes. Atkins career AAU record is 134 wins – 21 losses. Atkins continues to coach top AAU teams. Over the past 15 years, he has had Eight Top Ten nationally ranked women’s basketball teams
Coach Atkins is very proud of his accomplishments. But as proud as he is of his accomplishments, Atkins is even more proud of his two children; Brittany and Braden.
Jim Super
Washington/Olathe South/Olathe East
Jim taught English and coached basketball beginning in 1973 as an assistant coach at Washington high school under the mentorship of Larry Elliott and at Olathe South high school under the mentorship of Tom O’Dell. In 1992 when Olathe East opened, he was named the varsity boys’ basketball coach. He spent the next twenty-seven years at Olathe East where his teams won 337 games.
For five years during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s Coach Super, along with Tom Roth and Larry Generally organized and operated the Southern Johnson County Basketball Association, a competitive basketball for 4th thru 7th grade boys. During the 90’s Coach Super also worked with Olathe Parks and Recreation to organize and operate a summer league for junior high players.
Jim helped to organize the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association, served as president of the organization, been on the Board of Directors continuously, served on the All-Star selection committee, the All-Academic selection committee, and has helped in many other capacities.
He has been named Sunflower League Coach of the Year, and Kansas State 6-A Coach of the Year. Coach Super’s teams have made eleven post season appearances in the Kansas 6-A State Tournament.
During his tenure, his teams captured a KS Class 6A state championship in 1998; finished 3rd twice (2011, 2015) and 4th twice (1994, 2001). They also reached the Great Eight six times (2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) and the Sweet Sixteen five times (1999, 2002, 2010, 2013, 2019). They also won four Sunflower League Championships (2001, 2009, 2010, 2011) and finished league runner-up twice (1998, 2015).
Coach Super retired in 2019 with 337 varsity career wins. Missing the game and the players, coach Super reentered the coaching profession as a varsity assistant coach with the Mill Valley girls’ basketball team.
To view the history of the GKCBCA Hall of Fame, click here
