When Jack was the basketball coach in Elk City during his second year (1966-67), he received the Coach of the Year award in Western Oklahoma.

At 87 years old (2024), he’s proof that it’s never too late to publish! Jack loves basketball, but he wasn’t always good at it. In fourth grade, he made his first attempt at a free throw and failed. For his birthday, he asked for a basketball. He realized he didn’t have a basket when he went outside to shoot.

Out in the garage was an old rusty 5-gallon bucket—back then, they were made of metal, short and wide. Jack quickly cut out the bottom with a chisel and hammer, creating a basket, and the rest is history.

Basketball was in his bones and his dreams. He played in college at Pittsburg State University. At 5’11 3/4” tall, Jack was told he had the skills but not the height to play pro basketball. Instead, he pursued coaching and became a high school basketball coach.

In his short story, Five Gallon Bucket, Jack shares his experiences and thoughts on the sport, particularly from the lens of a basketball coach. His musings are endearing and QHP looks forward to giving basketball lovers a glimpse into this retired coach’s story of how the five gallon bucket gave him purpose.

Jack is retired and lives in New Mexico with his wife. They split their time between Angel Fire and Alamogordo. When he’s not dreaming about basketball, you can find Jack on the golf course.