Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Coach Matt McClure To Lead Curley Wolves On Basketball Court

There's a new leader for Prescott's Curley Wolf basketball team.

Matt McClure assumes the helm as the boys basketball coach with the departure of Hal Landrith, who left after two seasons, taking the head coaching spot with Cutter Morning Star in Hot Springs.

McClure will be in his first coaching job as he graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in May.

However, he comes from a coaching family as his father, Robin McClure, is the head coach at Beebe High School. Beebe is also where Matt did his student coaching.

For the past three years, he has been coaching teams with the Arkansas Athletic Union.

Being the son of a coach, McClure went to several schools during his younger years. He was a member of the Caddo Hills squad that went undefeated and won the overall state championship.

But, while going from school to school, he learned more about what was to become his trade in life -- coaching.

McClure comes to Prescott after a successful 1996-97 season in which the Wolves went to the regional playoffs.

However, he won't have the luxury of having C.D. Flemons to lead the 97-98 crew on the hardwood. Flemons was the all-everything go-to guy for the Wolves last year.

On the other hand, this could be good as there will be different expectations from the players. McClure has watched films of last year's team, but realizes the talent level will not be the same this season.

Depending on who returns to play roundball this season, McClure prefers playing an up-tempo offense with a pressure man-to-man defense. However, if the players can handle it, he will possibly institute a match-up zone defense. "I want everything to revolve back to the defense," he said.

In his off time, McClure enjoys playing golf and watching basketball, especially the Arkansas Razorbacks.

He and his wife, Cathy, recently celebrated their first anniversary. The two have no children as yet, with Cathy in pharmacy school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

McClure said his wife's father is also a basketball coach, so she knows what she got herself into by marrying him.

One thing those who plan to play basketball this season should know. McClure is starting practice on the first day of school. He plans to institute conditioning and strength training programs for the players so they can handle the fast pace his game requires.