By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hall of Fame basketball coach Ken Darting has never paid much attention to numbers, apart from his five state championships.
With a win Friday night over KC-Turner Shawnee Heights boys basketball coach Ken Darting will reach the 600-win milestone for his Hall of Fame coaching career. [File photo/TSN]
In fact, the venerable 75-year-old Shawnee Heights coach has had to be reminded on several occasions over the years of how many victories he actually did have.
But reaching 600 career wins, which Darting can accomplish Friday night with a home United Kansas Conference win over Kansas City-Turner, is one milestone he can't ignore.
"It means the world, and let me tell you why it means the world,'' said Darting, who enters Friday's game with a 599-276 career record. "It means that I've spent however many many years and coached 12, 15, 20 kids every year for 600 wins and every one of them is different and every one of them went through the heartbreaks that came along the way of building programs and the stuff you have to do with kids to get them to believe.
"That means everything to me for that reason. It's a tribute to kids for staying with me for 600 wins. You saw one that graduated three years ago come up and hug me right there. Hank Harris (former Highland Park star) was here from Kansas City two games ago. It doesn't matter to me if not one more person knows about this. I don't care. The kids is what it means. That's what it's about.''
Darting, who will turn 76 next month, won a Class 3A state title at Silver Lake in 1981, led Highland Park to four Class 5A state championships after a stint at Allen County Community College and is currently 95-53 (15-3 this season) at Shawnee Heights after coming out of retirement to coach the T-Birds.
Two of Darting's most notable alums, Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite, were quick to acknowledge his contributions to them and the sport of basketball.
Former Highland Park state champ Kyle Weems visits with his high school coach, Ken Darting, and Karen Darting during a Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [File photo/TSN]
"Coach D is the epitome of a leader of young men,'' said Weems, who helped lead Highland Park to a perfect 25-0 season in 2007 before earning All-America honors at Missouri State and embarking on a long and continuing 13-year pro career overseas. "If you look in the dictionary for the word coach it should have his name and picture.
"The way he pushed me, loved me and held me accountable during my four years at Highland Park is something I am forever grateful for. He, along with obviously my parents, was one that saw the potenial I had when maybe at that time I couldn't see. I'm super happy for him and Mrs. (Karen) Darting because this is for sure an accomplishment for him, but I know he will say for her as well. They have touched so many lives along the way and this is just another huge milestone for them to be celebrated. I love them both.''
Denver Broncos linebackers coach Wilhoite, who played for Darting before a standout football career at Washburn and seven seasons in the NFL, said that Darting and his family have also had a big impact on his career.
"Coach D and his family is my family,'' Wilhoite said. "Not a word I can use to describe the impact coach had on my life. I went to Washburn on his advice. I coach the way I do because he is my all-time favorite coach.
"I am blessed to have crossed paths with the Dartings.''
What makes Darting's impending milestone even more impressive is the fact that were 15 seasons where he was either out of coaching or was not a head coach.
After nine years at Silver Lake Darting took two years off to work on his Master's degree before serving as an assistant under Kansas State coaching legend Jack Hartman for a season. From K-State Darting went to Allen County where he served as an assistant for three seasons before becoming the head coach.
Darting then took four years away from coaching to serve as an assistant principal at Highland Park before returning to coaching with the Scots and then was out of coaching another five years after retiring at Hi Park before going to Shawnee Heights.
"Now you really appreciate it,'' Darting said of reaching 600. "That's just mind-boggling.''
Friday's Heights-Turner game is scheduled for a 7:15 p.m. tipoff following the T-Birds-Bears girls game at 5:45.
