by Lonnel Cole, Argus Sports
His resume as a high school basketball coach was so impressive he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame ‘before’ he returned from a 10-year coaching retirement, only to resume and achieve even more success than ever.
Such was the prolific career arc of Marvin Neals, local legendary coach of the Cardinal Ritter Lions and Soldan Tigers, who passed away this week at the age of 83. Neals, who worked in the St. Louis Public School system for 35 years, mostly as an administrator, retired from school administration in 1999, as principal of Stevens Middle School, near his old high school, Sumner, where he graduated in 1960. He also served as assistant principal at Sumner and Gateway .
But he continued coaching up until 2017, leading Cardinal Ritter to four state championships in 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2014, with the 2003 squad going a perfect 31-0 behind the trio of Ken Burke (19.4 points per game), Antoine Vinson (14.2) and Dewon Byrd (10.1). He won 675 victories in his illustrious career and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame way back in 1991, shortly after he retired the first time from coaching following the closing of Soldan’s school in 1990.
Neals, who played under Coach James Price at Sumner, started as an assistant at Vashon, before becoming head coach at Soldan in 9174, where he guided the Tigers to a state title in 1981 and state runner-up finishes in 1985 and 1990. The 1985 state title contest featured an unprecedented all-city, all-Public High League showdown between Soldan and Vashon, with the Wolverines outlasting Soldan 52-49 in overtime in what has long been regarded as a matchup for the ages. Among his litany of outstanding Soldan players were David Thirdkill, who later became a member of the 1985 world-champion Boston Celtics, small college All-American Leroy Jackson (Cameron in Oklahoma), Kelby Stuckey, Lance Simmons, Kip Spears and Kevin Washington. His other Ritter standouts include Cameron Biedscheid, Sean Clancy, Eric Clark, DeAndre Gilmore and Marquis Jones.
Current Public High League manager Teron Sharpe, a Soldan High graduate, pointed that Neals impact transcends basketball or sports.
“Coach Marvin Neals’ legacy in the Public High League and the St Louis Public Schools will stand the test of time,” she noted. “He was far more than a championship coach-he was a mentor, a teacher and a steady presence in the lives of generations of young people across our district.”
That’s why it’s his loss is widely viewed as more than a mere coach, albeit a great coach, but going beyond that.
“Coach Neals poured into young people, giving his time, wisdom and guidance to anyone willing to learn,” she noted. “He had a unique ability to connect with students and athletes, holding them to a high standard while also making them feel value and supported. He represented what education-based athletics is meant to be…”On a personal level, as a Soldan graduate and someone who had the opportunity to learn from him, I can say his influence extended well beyond his years on the sideline. He was someone you could turn to for guidance, perspective and truth. That kind of impact doesn’t fade.” ,
Not surprisingly, as word spread of his passing there was an outpouring of condolences and support from friends, fans and colleagues alike on social media.
Randy Reed, a former Vashon star who went on to win three state titles as a coach himself at McCluer North in the 2000 decade commented on Facebook: “We lost a whole lot of PHL history today but his legacy will never die as a legend of the mighty PHL.”
Another Vashon alum, DeAndre Davis, who would become of the Wolverines head coaches after the Floyd Irons era ended the summer of 2006, responded on the same medium by saying: “My thoughts are with the entire community as we mourn the loss of a legendary coach and mentor, Marvin Neals, who left an indelible mark on Missouri basketball.”
Daryl “Pee Wee” Lenard of old Central High notoriety and now coach of John Burroughs High School in West County, where he led the Bombers to a Class 4 state runner-up to Vashon two seasons ago called Neals ” a true legend in Missouri basketball. Marvin Neals will be deeply missed. We will always love you Coach Neals.”
Frank Cusamano, longtime sports director of KSDK- Channel 5 and a former starter on great DeSmet Spartans teams from 1979 to the early 80’s did a segment on his sportscast this week about Marvin Neals, whose program once snapped an epic 63-game winning streak DeSmet had compiled over a couple of seasons and who came back the following year to beat DeSmet for the aforementioned 1981 state title. Cusamano shared how Neals, whom he said he has seen at least 50 more times over the years always had a smile on his face in never letting Cusamano forget the Soldan legacy. Allen Horton, a Soldan alumnus and son of the late media personality Richard “Onion” Horton, a good friend of Neals, echoed Cusamano’s remark about the coach always been pleasant.
“Coach Marvin Neals was more than a coach and teacher to me.,” posted Horton on Facebook. ” He was a close friend of the family. Numerous times when I was at Soldan, I would see my dad in the building visiting Coach so I always had to be on my best behavior. I can’t remember ever seeing Mr. Neals when he wasn’t smiling.”
In addition to his coaching and school administration duties, Neals was also a coach and program director in the summer National Youth Summer Program (NYSP), a sports/recreational day camp of sorts for over 25 years first at Forest Park Community College, then Harris-Stowe. He has also been given numerous awards from the likes of the Missouri Sate Activities Association, the NAACP and several other organizations.. In addition to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, he is also in the Sumner High Hall of Fame.In that Greater Ville area is where he was also a member of Antioch Baptist Church and a member of the Royal Vagabonds social club in the Central West End.
Neals, who is survived by his wife Dorothy, who commented : “Coaching was in his blood and he came out of retirement in 1999 (after 10 years) to serve as the head coach at Cardinal Ritter… He also loved attending the NCAA Tournament for 30 years, where he had the opportunity to meet with college coaches like John Thompson (of Georgetown) and Bobby Knight (of Indiana), who sat down with him sharing basketball strategies. Neals’ life was one that dealt with young people not only in schools but in the summer…”
He was an administrator at several schools, but ended his educational career in 1999 as principal of Stevens Middle School in The Ville, not far from his alma mater, Sumner High, where he graduated in 1960. From there he matriculated to Fisk and Harris Teachers College, now known as Harris-Stowe State University, where he was his team’s leading score, averaging about 25 points per game. Despite his immense success at Soldan, merely getting to the state’s final four and winning two more rounds took a greater degree of difficulty back in that era, not only because of Vashon, but also because Central and Beaumont were contenders as well. Then when Soldan dropped down to Class 3A because of enrollment declines, there atood Charleston from the southeastern part of the state, which has 12 state championships, including four in the 1980’s and three in the 1990’s.
“He leaves behind a standard of excellence, discipline and commitment to others,” noted Sharpe. “His legacy lives on in every player he coached, every student he mentored and every life he shaped. In the Public High League and across St Louis Public Schools, his name will carry weight-and his impact will never be forgotten.”
Left to right: Players gather around Marvin Neals (center, sitting with trophy) after their 2010 state championship. (Center: Neals gives instructions to players during a timeout of that 2010 state tournament and (right) former Soldan alum Allen Horton gets together with Neals at an alum event a few years ago, with wife Dorothy also seated. Ritter photos by Leon Algee, Soldan picture courtesy of Allen Horton, Facebook.
