BRICE B. DURBIN
1927 -2020
Inducted – 2005

Called the father of girls’ high school athletics in Kansas, Brice B. Durbin spent over 40 years as a coach and administrator in high school athletics, first in Kansas, then at the national level where he was the executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations from 1977-93. He also served on numerous Boards of Directors including the National Association of Basketball Coaches, National Basketball Rules Committee, U.S. Olympic Committee, National Basketball Hall of Fame, the U.S. Track and Field Federation and the U.S. Golf Federation. Durbin grew up in the small central Kansas town of Burns where he attended grade school and high school. He skipped his senior year to enroll at Wichita University in 1944 and spent two years there before entering the U.S. Army in 1946-47. Durbin graduated from Central Missouri State in 1949 and spent the next eight years coaching high school basketball. He was an assistant basketball coach at Wichita State for two years before becoming the assistant executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association in 1957. Five years later, Durbin became the executive director of the KSHSAA and held that position until 1976. During that time, Kansas girls’ high school athletics were organized with regular season and postseason competition in a variety of sports. Durbin also initiated the state high school football playoffs in 1969 and the 10-yard-line overtime procedure in 1970. He has been inducted into numerous halls of fame. Born August 26, 1927, Rolla, MO. Graduated Burns (KS) High School, 1944. Central Missouri State University, 1948; MS – University of Missouri, 1949.