Parsons honored with court naming

KEOSAUQUA - Van Buren County gave the basketball gym a fresh paint job on Tuesday night.

It was 61 years in the making.

Longtime boys basketball coach Fred Parsons was honored by the school, which named the court 'Fred Parsons Court.”

The new name was placed in two corners of the floor. The fresh paint was on full display for the Warriors' doubleheader with West Burlington, the first games for Van Buren County since the school returned from winter break.

Parsons, a Keosauqua native, is in his 61st year coaching boys basketball, all at the same school. He currently has 784 wins, second most among active coaches in the state of Iowa.

'It's an honor, and I'm humbled about it,” said Parsons. 'There's no doubt about it.”

Parsons is a 1957 graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University, where he played baseball and basketball. After a short teaching stint in Milton, he returned to Keosauqua in 1962 to teach and coach basketball and baseball. Although he retired in 1998 and no longer coaches baseball, he still leads the Warriors boys basketball team onto the court every game night.

'I figured it out the other day, and it comes to 732 kids that I've had the chance to screw up here at Van Buren,” Parsons joked.

A ceremony was held between the girls and boys basketball games. Parsons spoke to the crowd and thanked his wife, Sheila, as well as all his former assistant coaches and players from his career.

'The superintendent said it was washable paint, and if we didn't get something going this season, it can come off,” Parsons joked, alluding to a slow start for the boys basketball team this season.

Van Buren County Activities Director Wesley McGraw says the impact Parsons has had on the school ranges far wider than his number of wins on the basketball court.

'Coach Parsons has committed over 60 years making a difference in the lives of our students and athletes at Van Buren County schools,” McGraw said. 'The level of success he has had is impressive, but the positive impact he has made on the students, school and community is nothing short of incredible.”

Parsons saluted those he has worked with him over 60-plus years.

'I thank all the people for the good times we've had,” Parsons said. 'The name on the court actually belongs to the people.”