Cupples resigns as Normal West boys basketball coach

Posted on March 5, 2019

By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – Brian Cupples is stepping down as head boys basketball coach at Normal West High School after 17 seasons.

The Wildcats were 256-243 under Cupplies and won four regional championships.

“I have been blessed to have been the head coach at such a great school,” Cupples said in a statement. “I would like to thank my wife, Elisa, and my children for all of their support. They have been my rock. I would also like to thank the administration at Normal West, especially our Athletic Director Stan Lewis for his support and guidance. A head coach is nothing without great assistant coaches. Tim Sennett and Ed Hafermann have been with me for a long time and are the best assistants a coach can have. Drew Emerick did a great job the last two years with our freshmen. Finally, I want to thank the student-athletes I have had the honor of coaching. Thank you for giving us everything you had.”

“Coach Cupples has been a mainstay as the head boys basketball coach at Normal West and in the Big 12 Conference for the past 17 years,” Normal West Athletic Director Stan Lewis said. “I have been fortunate to know Brian Cupples for many years dating back to his time as basketball coach and athletic director at Rantoul High School He is a great coach and an even better person. His athletes not only learned how to play the game of basketball but also learned life lessons under his leadership. We will miss his contributions to our basketball program but look forward to his continued leadership at Normal West as a teacher and as our assistant athletic director.”

Lewis said the search for a new coach begins immediately.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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