(KMAland) -- The KMA Sports Hall of Fame continues announcements for its sixth class throughout the month of August on Upon Further Review between 11:30 and 12:00.
On Friday, the latest Eberly Family Legacy Award was handed out to the late Dean “Judge” Roe. Roe coached nearly every sport during his career between Coin, South Page, Dexfield, Adair-Casey and Stuart-Menlo, but he’s possibly best known for patrolling the basketball sidelines for 45 years.
Roe coached six-on-six basketball at the height of its popularity, directing Coin, South Page and Adair-Casey to state tournaments in 1955, 1960 and 1992, respectively. In between, the Lenox alum won 685 games.
After graduation from Lenox, Roe enlisted in the Naval Air Corps and flew dive bombers as a gunner/radio operator. Following his discharge from the Navy, he attended Simpson College and played football, basketball and baseball before embarking on a teaching and coaching career that was legendary all the way up to his retirement in the 90s.
“He took his first teaching and coaching job at Coin,” Coach Roe’s son, Steve, told KMA Sports. “He was the athletic department. Coached every sport they had, and he had great success in all of them.”
Roe has already been inducted in multiple halls of fame, including those in Iowa for football, girls basketball and track. He’s also been included in the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame and has received the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Golden Plaque of Distinction.
“I followed him around like a puppy dog,” Steve Roe said. “He had great rapport with his kids and worked them hard. He really cared about them. When one of his players was injured, you could see in his face how he felt for them. He instilled in them the ability to work hard and work together.”
Roe was also a major catalyst for a girls All-Star basketball game that he coached in three times, and he pushed for the addition of six-on-six basketball to the Iowa Games.
“He worked with Larry Niemeyer and did basketball clinics,” Steve added. “Kids from all over Iowa worked with dad. No matter who you played for he treated them all the same. I think his accomplishment of getting six-on-six in the Iowa Games gave him a lot of satisfaction.”
Roe, who passed away in 2010, also claimed a state championship in football, four state championships in track and had an individual state champion in golf. KMA Sports is proud to recognize and honor the wonderful and legendary coaching career of Dean Roe with this year’s Eberly Family Legacy Award.
Previous winners of this award include the Eberly family, the Ralph Carl family, Larry Murphy and Mitch Osborn. Listen to the full interview with Steve Roe linked below, and stay tuned for more Hall of Fame announcements through the rest of the month.
OTHER 2020-21 KMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCEMENTS
