Wendell Wheeler tells superintendent he will not be back next season as head coach of the basketball Indians

In a heart-to-heart conversation with Du Quoin Community Unit Dist. 300 superintendent Dr. Gary Kelly at Kelly's home on Saturday morning, Wendell Wheeler told Dr. Kelly he will not be back as head coach of the basketball Indians next season.

Wheeler, who passed coach Ray Saunches' 200-victory school record this year to become the winningest basketball coach in Du Quoin history, will complete the current season.

With back-to-back Friday and Saturday double digit losses to Sparta (61-47) and Anna-Jonesboro (78-63) over the weekend, the disheartened Wheeler's record falls to 1-8 in the conference and 8-19 overall.

Du Quoin's losing streak was extended to eight games with the weekend losses.

The Tribe ends its regular season schedule with Friday's Senior Night game at home against conference leader Nashville (25-3, 8-1). The Indians begin the regional tournament at Chester on Monday, Feb. 23 against Red Bud in the quarter-finals. The winner will play top-seeded Pinckneyville in the semi-finals.

Coach Wheeler was not available for comment on Monday. Dist. 300 schools were closed for President's Day.

"He came to my house. He and I had a conversation," said Dr. Kelly. "He's done a lot of good things. We talked about those positive things," he said.

"I have been proud of his work as a seventh grade social studies teacher," said Dr. Kelly.

"He'' finish the year and will let the boys know," he said.

"He has been in the district as long as I have been here," said Dr. Kelly.

"22 years."

"I know this is more about the boys, and he has children playing in college and would like to see them," he said.

Wheeler's coaching career began in Patoka, then Newton. He came to Du Quoin as a PE teacher and Dean of Students and was 191-164 in twelve seasons with Du Quoin from 1993-2005. He had three great seasons. In 1998 and1999 the Indians went 24-7. In 2002 the team was 28-5. Then, some personality clashes came into play. In April of 2005 following a school board meeting Wheeler got a call from Dr. Kelly saying the board had decided his services as coach and athletic director would no longer be needed. He would remain as a teacher.

For a time became an assistant coach at the Carbondale High School.

After Mike Crews' and Gabe Sveda's tours as Indian head coaches, Wheeler was asked to return to the program two years ago.

"He has a lot of longevity," said Dr. Kelly. "You don't see that very often."