Dennis Best

Dennis Best (GHS Class of 1965) was a three-sport athlete for the Miners playing basketball (4 years), baseball (3 years), and track (3 years). He was named SCC All-Conference in both basketball and baseball. Out of high school, Dennis was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1965. He attended Eastern Illinois where he played baseball for four years and earned all-conference recognition in two of those years.

After college, Dennis went on to teach and coach at Coal City. He was the Head Boys Track Coach for 26 years, Head Girls Track Coach for 15 years, and Head Cross-Country Coach for 12 years. He was name Illinois High School coach of the year and is a member of the Illinois Track and Cross County Coaches Hall of Fame. He has also been a track official for the Big Ten Track Championships and the US Olympic Track Trials in 1988 and 2008.