John L. Head
Encyclopedia
John L. Head was an American basketball
coach. He was the head coach of the Nashville Business College women's basketball team from 1948 to 1969. Over the course of 21 seasons, his teams won the national championship eleven times and finished in second place four times.
, where he graduated in 1934. He played basketball and football in college, attending both Lambuth College
and Union University
in Jackson, Tennessee
. His first introduction to coaching was in 1936, when he was coached an intramural sorority team. After college he coached high school teams for twelve years, coaching girls and boys basketball as well as football and baseball.
The NBC team also finished second in 1956. From 1958 to 1961, the NBC team finished first or second, with Wayland Baptist
in the other position. The NBC first place finishes were 1958 and 1960. Then, in 1962, NBC reeled off eight consecutive national championships. The last of these championships was in 1969, at which time the sponsor of the team withdrew the sponsorship, and Head retired.
Head's approach to basketball was described by Sue Gunter
as a "quiet disciplinarian". The teams' repertoire of plays was quite limited, consisted only of "two defenses, two offenses and two breaks". However, as Gunter explained, "Everybody that we played knew exactly what we were going to do when we came into the gym...But they couldn't beat it, because of the execution."
in 1953. The team was composed largely of NBC players, along with players from two other schools. The USA would lose one game to Brazil, but ended up with a 5–1 record and the gold medal to take the first World Championship title.
Head was asked to continue as head coach for the Second World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1957. While this team had several NBC players, there were representatives from five different organizations. The team lost an early match against Czechoslovakia, trailed Hungary at the half, but held on to win, then won a rematch with Czechoslovakia. The title game was against the unbeaten USSR, the first time the two squads had met in a major competition. The USA team was behind by three points at the half, but came from behind to win 51–48 and win the 1957 World Championship.
Head also served as the head coach of the USA basketball team at the 1963 Pan American Games, held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The USA team won several games easily, but with 30,000 fans cheering on the home squad, Chile beat the USA team 85–48 in their second match-up. This ended a 21-game winning streak by the USA team. They would also meet Brazil in the title game, but the result would be quite different. The USA team held the Brazilians scoreless for eleven minutes, and cruised to an easy 59–43 win to take the gold medal and the 1963 Pan American Championship.
as a coach as part of the first class of inductees in 1999.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach. He was the head coach of the Nashville Business College women's basketball team from 1948 to 1969. Over the course of 21 seasons, his teams won the national championship eleven times and finished in second place four times.
Early years
Head played basketball and baseball at Coopertown High School in Coopertown, TennesseeCoopertown, Tennessee
Coopertown is a town in Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. The population of the self-described "bedroom community" was 3,027 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, where he graduated in 1934. He played basketball and football in college, attending both Lambuth College
Lambuth University
Lambuth University was a liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee. It was supported by the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lambuth's athletic teams participated in the NAIA's TranSouth and Mid-South Conferences...
and Union University
Union University
Union University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown, Tennessee, and Hendersonville, Tennessee...
in Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson is a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee Combined Statistical Area...
. His first introduction to coaching was in 1936, when he was coached an intramural sorority team. After college he coached high school teams for twelve years, coaching girls and boys basketball as well as football and baseball.
Nashville Business College
In 1948 he accepted a position as head coach of the Nashville Business College (NBC) team. Although the team was associated with a school, it was an AAU team; players did not have to be enrolled at the school to play for the team. NBC was a well-respected team, with fourth place finishes in 1945 and 1948, but had not won a national championship. In Head's first year, the team would finish in second place to another Nashville team, the Goldblumes, but would go onto defeat the Goldblumes in 1950, for their first national championship.The NBC team also finished second in 1956. From 1958 to 1961, the NBC team finished first or second, with Wayland Baptist
Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University is private, coeducational Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, U.S.A. Wayland Baptist has a total of fourteen campuses in four additional Texas cities, five other states, and the country of Kenya. On August 31, 1908, the university was chartered by the state of...
in the other position. The NBC first place finishes were 1958 and 1960. Then, in 1962, NBC reeled off eight consecutive national championships. The last of these championships was in 1969, at which time the sponsor of the team withdrew the sponsorship, and Head retired.
Head's approach to basketball was described by Sue Gunter
Sue Gunter
Sue Gunter was a women's college basketball coach. She is best known as the head coach of the LSU Lady Tigers basketball team....
as a "quiet disciplinarian". The teams' repertoire of plays was quite limited, consisted only of "two defenses, two offenses and two breaks". However, as Gunter explained, "Everybody that we played knew exactly what we were going to do when we came into the gym...But they couldn't beat it, because of the execution."
USA basketball
Head was asked to be the head coach of the USA basketball team for the very first World Championships for women, held in Santiago, ChileSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
in 1953. The team was composed largely of NBC players, along with players from two other schools. The USA would lose one game to Brazil, but ended up with a 5–1 record and the gold medal to take the first World Championship title.
Head was asked to continue as head coach for the Second World Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1957. While this team had several NBC players, there were representatives from five different organizations. The team lost an early match against Czechoslovakia, trailed Hungary at the half, but held on to win, then won a rematch with Czechoslovakia. The title game was against the unbeaten USSR, the first time the two squads had met in a major competition. The USA team was behind by three points at the half, but came from behind to win 51–48 and win the 1957 World Championship.
Head also served as the head coach of the USA basketball team at the 1963 Pan American Games, held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The USA team won several games easily, but with 30,000 fans cheering on the home squad, Chile beat the USA team 85–48 in their second match-up. This ended a 21-game winning streak by the USA team. They would also meet Brazil in the title game, but the result would be quite different. The USA team held the Brazilians scoreless for eleven minutes, and cruised to an easy 59–43 win to take the gold medal and the 1963 Pan American Championship.
Awards and honors
Head was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of FameWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
as a coach as part of the first class of inductees in 1999.