WHEELING — George “Skip” Prosser was a winner. He won at a high rate at every stop in a well-traveled journey. He did so with endless class all along the way.

Be it at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling Central or 15 years as a D-1 collegiate head coach, Prosser’s teams won quite frequently. And at every school he guided, he did so with unbridled class and professionalism.

Unfortunately, the Carnegie, Pa. native died all too soon — July 26, 2007 at age 56, while head coach at Wake Forest, a position he held since 2001. He collapsed in his office from a massive heart attack after a track workout.

Although Prosser hasn’t coached in the Ohio Valley for some 30 years, his memory and success is still deeply ingrained at Linsly and Wheeling Central.

So much so, The George Edward Skip Prosser Classic will be held Jan. 26, 2017 at Wheeling Central High, pitting the Maroon Knights against Linsly in a varsity boys’ game.

Former Bishop Donahue and Shadyside head hoops coach John Stanko is one of the driving forces in making the game contest a reality. Earlier in his career, Stanko and Prosser were both assistants at Linsly to Don Woodward. Stanko was the reserve coach and Prosser guided the frosh.

“The purpose of this game is many but it primarily will serve to honor and recognize not only Coach Prosser’s memory, but also the two high schools that he served in the late 70s and mid 80s,” Stanko said. “The idea is to promote Ohio Valley basketball, promote a scholarship fund to worthy student-athletes at both Linsly and Wheeling Central and to preserve the name of a valley coach who rose to be ACC Coach of the Year while serving at Wake Forest University.

“I thought this was a natural, having Wheeling Central and Linsly play since those were the two schools he coached at. We want to build up a scholarship fund. Skip was big on education and getting kids ready for life after basketball. He gave the MVP award to his academic advisor while at Xavier,” he added. “We also want to restore his memory. Younger kids don’t remember him. I just feel this needs to be done. This year the game will be played at Central and next year we will play it at Linsly.”

Prosser enjoyed a short but very successful career at Linsly, going 38-9 as the Cadets’ boss. He then went across town and accepted a teaching position and the boys’ head basketball post at Wheeling Central.

“We could not be more grateful for the opportunity to honor someone who achieved so much. Coach Prosser exemplified hard work, class and toughness in everything he did and that has served as a model for thousands of coaches and players who have been blessed enough to have been either directly or indirectly influenced by him,” Linsly head basketball coach James Wallace said. “Both Linsly and Wheeling Central are better institutions because of Coach Prosser’s contributions and this game will be a great way to annually show our appreciation and gratitude for all he has done and the legacy he has left behind that still helps drive our program.”

Prosser’s tenure with the Maroon Knights was marked by incredible success. He guided his Knights to the 1982 West Virginia Class AA championship. His teams won five regional titles in a six-year period, compiling a remarkable 104-48 record.

Winning at such a high rate attracted college attention. Xavier head coach Pete Gillen hired Prosser as his assistant. He served in that role for the Muskeeters for eight seasons.

That proved a springboard for Prosser’s first head college job, landing at Loyola in Baltimore. He immediately weaved his magic, inheriting a 2-25 team and turning it into a 17-13 NCAA Tournament squad, gaining the school’s first-ever foray into March Madness.

Gillen subsequently left to become coach at Providence. Xavier wasted no time in naming Prosser as his successor.

Prosser scripted a superb 148-65 record in seven seasons at the Cincinnati-based school. He directed Xavier to four NCAA Tournament berths and two NIT invites.

He launched his Wake Forest career in 2001-02. Again, the affable mentor quickly made his presence felt in guiding the Demon Deacons to the ACC regular season championship in his second season. All told, he authored a 126-68 record at Wake.

Wheeling Central head football coach and athletic director Mike Young knew Prosser before he became head coach at Linsly.

“Skip and I were good friends when he was an assistant at Linsly and I was an assistant at St. Clairsville. He was a great person — always optimistic and positive. I had the utmost respect for what Skip stood for,” Young said. “This Classic is a great complement to Central naming its court in his honor as well as him being an inaugural member of our school’s Hall of Fame. It will keep his legacy alive.”

Wheeling Central had coach Mel Stephens echoed those sentiments.

“Skip is more than deserving of such a tribute. Skip had a great and positive impact at both schools,” Stephens said. “It will benefit kids. That is what Skip was all about.”

Classic officials are hoping for sponsors to step up to make the event an ongoing success.

Hopefully, D-1 college coaches — especially those at Xavier and Wake Forest — step up to the court for a most worthy cause in tribute to a great man.

“Skip had so much integrity and class. He got more out of kids than most anyone could,” Stanko said. “He was professionally driven but never forgot his roots in the valley. He came back to provide the OVAC an all-day clinic in 2004 after being named ACC coach of the year at no cost. It was done just prior to the start of his own season.

“He was perhaps the most positively influential person in so many lives. I met him at Linsly and he really seemed destined for some success,” he added. “Skip really got me interested in basketball. More importantly, he was an excellent classroom teacher.”

SATURDAY WITH COACH A

GENE AMMIRANTE staged Saturday morning basketball instructional sessions for more than 20 years as head coach at Bellaire High. Now as an assistant at Wheeling Park this season, Ammirante is resuming that practice. He will be holding instructional sessions for boys and girls in grades 3-8 at four Ohio County schools. The Saturday clinics run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

Warwood Middle: Nov. 5, 12, 19 and 26; Wheeling Middle School: Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25; Bridge Street Middle: Dec. 3, 9 (Friday), 17, 31; Triadelphia: Jan. 6 (Friday), 14, 21 and 28.

The Friday sessions are from 5-7 p.m. Cost is $30 for those pre-registered and $40 at the door. Any hoopster wishing to attend all 16 sessions the cost is $60.

For more information, contact Ammirante at 304-639-8916 or GenoAmmirante@gmail.com or contacting head Wheeling Park head coach Michael Jebbia at 304-280-3835 or mjebbia@k12.wv.us.

BUBBA’S BITS

KUDOS TO Tyler Consolidated volleyball coach Richard Summers for recently achieving his 500th career win with the Silver Knights.

OHIO STATE’S Ezekiel Elliott is justifying being the fourth selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Dallas running back has rushed for more than 130 yards in each of his last three games, a fete never accomplished by Cowboys’ Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.

BELLAIRE High School officials embarked on a noteworthy project Monday that will be of countless benefit to the Big Red athletes. The new state-of-the-art physical education center is a much-needed facility. Nelson Field is one of the premier prep grid venues in the OVAC and the new fieldhouse will take it to another level. It is scheduled to be ready for the 2017 football season.

I AM sticking with the Cubs to win the World Series. However, my heart is with the Indians.

THE BERRY College Vikings are off to a 5-1 start this football season. The Atlanta-based institution has some Ohio Valley flavor on its coaching staff. Rich Duncan, a former Martins Ferry High grid standout, is Berry’s offensive coordinator. He was formerly head coach at Aurora University in Illinois. Duncan is a 1990 Bethany College grad.