Esteemed coach McClain dies at 60
The sudden passing of Champaign Central coach Wayne McClain on Wednesday resonates statewide. With three state titles, he was a coaching icon.
McClain, who had been hospitalized this week with pneumonia, was 60, according to the ( Champaign- Urbana) News- Gazette. The newspaper cited a death notice submitted by a Champaign funeral home.
‘‘ For the people in Peoria, it feels like we all lost a family member today,’’ said Kansas assistant coach Jerrance Howard, a Peoria native who grew up respecting McClain and later worked with him at the University of Illinois. ‘‘ His presence was always there, was always felt.’’
McClain is best known for his tremendous success as the coach at Peoria Manual. After 18 years as a Manual assistant, he took over for legendary coach Dick Van Scyoc after the 1993- 94 state championship season.
McClain led the Rams to three state titles in his first three years and was named the 1997 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year. Those state- title teams, which were led by his son, Sergio McClain, along with stars Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams, combined to go 94- 5 and are considered some of the most legendary teams in state basketball history.
After seven seasons as Manual’s coach, averaging 26 victories a year and winning five sectional titles, McClain was brought to Illinois by coach Bill Self as an assistant in 2002. When Self left for Kansas, McClain stayed on as an assistant under Bruce Weber through the 2011- 2012 season. In his 11 years as an assistant, the Illini won 235 games (. 685 winning percentage) and were the national runner- up in 2005 with a 37- 2 record.
‘‘ I don’t know if there’s a better man who cared as much for kids as he did,’’ Weber said. ‘‘ He had such a huge heart. He was always helping people, picking people up, and never gave up on them. ‘‘ I knew Wayne early on when I was recruiting Peoria, and I know he tried and did save people’s lives in Peoria. He was always so humble about the impact he had.’’
McClain lettered in three sports in high school before staying home for college and playing three years of basketball at Bradley. He returned as a sixth- grade teacher in Peoria before moving on to a teaching career at Peoria Manual.
As a coach at Manual for 24 years, he was a staple throughout the school and in the community. After spending a year on Weber’s administrative staff at Kansas State, McClain returned to his roots last year and took over as coach at Champaign Central, guiding an underdog team to a regional title and sectional victory last season. Along the way, Champaign Central knocked off Springfield Lanphier and Lincoln, the top teams in the state in Class 3A.