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About LTC
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Head Coach - Mike Ray
Coach Mike Ray's roots run deep in the Illinois Eastern Community College District. Coach Ray was born and raised near Lawrence County, IL; he attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale; and he developed his defensive philosophy under Coach Jack Hartman.
In additional to his 21 years of experience coaching at the junior college level, Ray has served as head high school coach, athletic director and assistant principal at Red Hill High School in Bridgeport, IL and as head high school coach in Crawford County, IN. Ray coached at Vincennes University for 16 years and spent the last five years as the associate head coach under Dan Sparks at Wabash Valley College.
Ray is quick to credit Ron Felling and Dan Sparks for his philosophy of basketball.
"Coach Felling and Coach Sparks both have major impacts on my belief of how the game of basketball should be played. Coach Felling is such a great motivator and teacher of the fundamentals of the game, while Coach Sparks is the absolute best people person I have ever been around. While I have developed my own style, I want to credit those two gentlemen for any success that I have had on the court."
Ray has coached NBA greats like Eric Williams of the Boston Celtics, Shawn Marion of the Dallas Mavericks, Carl Landry of New Orleans, and Tyrone Nesby, along with 11 other players who have played professional ball overseas. Additionally, he has helped send more than 100 players on to Division 1 universities. This certainly lends credibility to his eye for talent.
"My philosophy of what I desire for Lincoln Trail College is a simple one. I will recruit people with good character first. Secondly, I believe student-athletes are students first, and they will progress toward a graduation from LTC. Third, I will recruit basketball players that share my passion for the game of basketball. They must have a burning desire to be successful both on and off the court. These three priorities must be kept in order, and I want my assessment to be based on these three simple priorities. The faculties and staff at all the IECC schools are students-first driven, and I appreciate their time and effort in helping all our students. Your expertise does not go unnoticed."
Coach Ray and his wife, Judy Spillman of Chauncey, IL, celebrate 41 years of marriage. They are the proud parents of Corrie Ray, principal of Parkview Jr. High in Lawrenceville, and his wife, Brooke, and their children Baylie, Brayton and Drake; Chad Ray, lieutenant at the Lawrence County Correctional facility, and his wife, Amy, and their two children Peyton and Olivia; Collin Ray, officer at the Lawrence County Department of Corrections, and his wife, Kim, and their two boys, Landen and Camren; and their daughter, Christi, Golden Rule Insurance in Lawrenceville.
Mike Ray brings successful experience, enthusiasm, and a commitment that LTC will put a team on the floor the community will be proud of. He encourages you to support the Statesmen.
Coach Ray's coaching philosophy can best be summed up by several former players who say "I want my son to play for the coach and the man."
Click here to contact Coach Ray
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Assistant Coach - Zach Patterson
Coach Patterson brings eight years of top junior college coaching experience to Lincoln Trail College.
The Danville, IL, native has been mentored by some of the best, like his high school coach Ray Wittmann, an Illinois High School Hall of Famer. Coach Patterson was brought into junior college basketball by Hall of Fame coach/ current NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association President John Spezia who was formerly with Division II junior college powerhouse Danville Area Community College. Patterson went on to coach under another Hall of Fame Coach, Dan Sparks, at Wabash Valley College. He was the lead recruiter for the 2011 WVC team that went on to the NJCAA tournament.
“In my playing days, I always understood what my head coach wanted on the court, out of my teammates and myself,” Patterson said. “Logically, being a good assistant becomes second nature. Instructing basketball skills and establishing discipline of values on and off the court is what I love to do.”
Patterson credits his father, who coached a Lutheran high school to championships in the 1990s, for his coaching instincts and how to be a leader to others.
It was at Wabash where Patterson and Coach Mike Ray connected and developed a philosophy of how to recruit good young men and develop them into greater individuals in the game of basketball and in the game of life.
“At LTC, our mission is to recruit players who will compete on the national level and advance toward an LTC degree. There is absolutely no one who can teach the game of basketball better than Coach Ray. He is an excellent X and O’s coach. Players will love playing for Coach Ray. He truly cares for his players. They can trust him and always know where they stand in their defined roles.
“LTC has great tradition, and a faculty and staff who truly care about students. We have great community support, modern apartments for our athletes, an excellent athletic facility, and outstanding coaches who care about player and people development.”
Coach Patterson on Head Coach Mike Ray:
“Coach Ray is first and foremost a great person. He wants what is best for every individual. I believe that is why he is a great coach. He brings high energy and passion for the game every day. He wants kids to better themselves on and off the court. Coach Ray emphasizes how important it is to be a student first and then an athlete. Education means a great deal to him. In all, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him because I enjoy coaching with him. I know he is going to do the right things in developing a program year in and year out here at Lincoln Trail. There is no question we will have success at Lincoln Trail because of this and kids wanting to play for him.”
In the summer, Coach Patterson officiates and coaches camps at the University of Illinois. He also recruits at AAU events and has worked the USA Nationals in Champaign and also in Columbus, Ohio.
Patterson is the son of Guy and Julia Patterson of Danville. His brother, Jeremiah, is married to Carole Crawford. They have a stepson, Gavin; daughter, Kinsey; and son, Kaden; who reside in Raeford, NC.
Zack will complete his bachelor’s degree at Eastern Illinois University in the spring of 2013.
It is a good time to be a Statesmen fan with Coach Ray and crew at the helm. With him, you know his players will continue to get better day in and day out to compete for championships.
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