Sikeston Field House basketball court to be named after coach Gregg Holifield

SIKESTON — A new gym floor was recently installed at the Sikeston Field House, and now the basketball court is getting a new name to honor Sikeston High School’s boys basketball coach Gregg Holifield.

Sikeston R-6 Board of Education President Matthew Drake made the announcement during the Board’s open session on Dec. 12. Drake said during the Board’s executive session, which was held just before the open session, board members took action to rename the court at the Sikeston Field House as the “Gregg Holifield Court.”

“For the last few years we have been talking as a board about how we do things to engage the community better and promote bulldog pride throughout our town,” Drake said about the Board’s decision to rename the court. “We knew one great step we could take to do that was to honor our past successes.”

So, with that goal in mind and the recent Sikeston Field House renovations, Drake said the Board decided to take that step and rename the court in Holifield’s honor.

“While many times this honor is bestowed after retirement, we just thought, ‘Why wait?’” Drake said. “He has earned it and what better way to promote bulldog pride than to move forward now.”

Drake said Holifield’s accolades are unparalleled in Sikeston basketball history. In 2014, Holifield was even inducted into the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

“In 25 years at Sikeston, he has 14 district titles, five final fours and our only state championship,” Drake said. “He is a Hall of Fame coach approaching 500 wins at Sikeston and 600 as a career.” Beyond that, Drake said, Holifield has set a standard for excellence in leadership throughout Sikeston’s sports programs and district.

“His approach is to focus on building up the players first and foremost, and the by-product of that is the accomplishments,” Drake said.

Andy McGill, Sikeston R-6 assistant superintendent of human resources and support, said for the past 26 years, Holifield has made an unbelievable impact on the players, students, fans and Sikeston community through the district’s basketball program.

“We are so fortunate to have a Hall of Fame basketball coach who has built such a solid foundation for Sikeston basketball,” McGill said. “Our school board sees that impact and wanted to recognize it for years to come. What a fitting tribute that the court will now hold his name.”

Plans for a public ceremony honoring Holifield during the basketball season are being finalized.