Mike Oliver wasn’t sure of his career path when he got out of college, but a visit to his old high school set his course.
And more than 30 years later, Oliver is one of the state’s most respected and successful basketball coaches.
Curie honored Oliver before a Public League Red Shield game against Clark on Jan. 9, unveiling a banner that will go up on the wall in the gym where he’s won so many games.
The banner cites Oliver’s 550-plus wins and 30-plus years, a nod to the fact that he’s still going strong with no plans to retire. Also mentioned: Oliver’s induction last year into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, his Class 4A state title in 2016 and his Public League titles in 2014, 2019 and 2024.
It all started in 1992.
“I came home from college, I was looking for something to do,” Oliver said. “I just came up here to talk to some of (my) former teachers and the like. (They asked), ‘What are you doing now? … Would you be interested in coming back, helping out?'”
So Oliver returned to Curie and was the sophomore coach for three seasons. His friend, Larry Wallace, joined the staff as a varsity assistant.
At that point, the story took an interesting turn.
Oliver was invited to go to Marshall, where the legendary Luther Bedford was looking for a succession plan.
“Luther was like, ‘Hey coach, come over here and then in a year or two I’m going to give you the program,'” Oliver said.
But before Oliver coached a game at Marshall, the Curie head-coaching job opened up and he was hired. Now Oliver is in his 30th season as head coach, with Wallace still by his side.
Oliver can’t imagine being anywhere else.
“There’s nothing like home, where you could come back and be appreciated,” Oliver said. “It was just a golden opportunity where we could be ourselves here.”
Oliver has been around long enough to coach multiple members of the same family, including multiple generations.
“This is a family school,” Oliver said. “Once we get one brother and he has siblings, we just keep rolling.”
It’s hard not to note the passing of time.
“It makes me feel old when I’m coaching somebody’s kids that I coached starting off,” Oliver said with a smile. “But it’s fun. I’m having the time of my life.
“It’s not about accolades, it’s about being able to touch a young kid’s life and then you can see the fruit of your labor develop right in front of you.”
Now Oliver is coaching his son, junior guard Michael Oliver Jr. That’s a bit surreal to him.
“I never had the wildest dream I’d be here to coach my son 20 years later,” Oliver said. “That’s a blessing. It’s a testament to the administration believing in what you’re doing and supporting it.
“I think in a lot of high schools, they don’t have the support from administrators. But we’ve got a strong support system here.”
And the results show it, as does that new banner.
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