Floyd Irons returns to "his classroom"

by Terry Artis
President/Publisher

Missouri Sports Hall of Famer, Coach Floyd Irons, led his Vashon Wolverines to 10 Missouri State Basketball Championships and over 800 victories during his tenure in the St. Louis Public Schools. He is the winningest coach in Missouri basketball history. When you are a person with the sort of will, drive and dedication that it takes to accomplish such a record, there's only one thing in life that will allow for your happiness: doing what you have a passion for. For Floyd, that one thing is coaching basketball. Whether it is men, women, boys, girls, professional, amateur or little league, Coach Iron always needed to be doing what is clearly his calling in this world.

On a chilly, late fall evening at 7:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Wohl Community Center on Kingshighway, Coach Irons addressed 12 young athletes. He spoke of his ideals, his failures and his hopes with more honesty than most could ever muster. The men listen intently, stood up, put a hand in, let out a shout and went to the gym for drills.

Coach Irons has returned to his passion, taking on the position as the head coach of the professional basketball team, the St. Louis Phoenix. The Phoenix is a minor league team in the Premier Basketball League (PBL). Their roster includes young men from Missouri, Texas and North Carolina. The PBL is comprised of 5 eastern teams and 6 central teams.

St. Louis Phoenix home games are played at Soldan International Arena, located at 918 Union Blvd. Upcoming home games include:

January 29 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Chicago Muscle, 4 p.m.

February 18 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Indiana Diesels, 1 p.m.

February 19 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Sauk Valley Predators, 4 p.m.

February 26 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Central Illinois Drive, 4 p.m.

March 3 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Chicago Muscle, 1 p.m.

March 4 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. NW Indiana Stars, 4 p.m.

March 18 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Sauk Valley Predators, 4 p.m.

March 25 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. Indiana Diesels, 4 p.m.

April 1 - St. Louis Phoenix vs. NW Indiana Stars, 4 p.m.

RCX welcomes the return of the greatest coach in Missouri history and an inspiration to countless young Black men including, myself.

Incredibly, had there not been a Caoch Floyd Irons, there would be no Show-Me Sound Organization. It was Coach's model of building excellence among young Black men that inspired me to give back in my area of expertise: percussion.

Coach Irons' alma mater, Langston University, will have their drum line competing in the upcoming 2012 SHOWDOWN: Historically Black College & University Drum Line Show on Saturday April 21, 2 p.m.

For more information on the St. Louis Phoenix, visit:
http://stlphoenix.webs.com/