Larry FarmerOne of the state’s top basketball players from 1966-1969, Larry Farmer helped the ‘Thunderbolts to the state finals in 1967 where they lost to South in one of the state’s epic title games.
In fact, that game had a profound impact on the future UCLA Bruin. To set the scene, Manual was a juggernaut that year, losing only a single game heading into the playoffs and that was to West.
“I remember more about that game than I do the championship games at UCLA,” he told The Denver Post. The ‘Bolts had scored more than 100 points in several of their games, so they were a force to be reckoned with.
South coach Joe Strain slowed the pace of the game and it worked nearly to perfection. Manual lost 68-59.
Farmer almost quit basketball after his sophomore season at Manual. He rarely played, but then grew four inches to reach 6-foot-5. As a sophomore, he told his parents he was staying late for ROTC assignments because he didn’t want them seeing him sitting on the bench.
But, fate intervened; he didn’t quit but went on to enjoy a college career that saw his teams go 89-1 and win three straight national titles. And, he learned the coaching game under the legendary John Wooden.
Farmer wanted to be a high school teacher and coach, but, again, fate intervened. After an unsuccessful tryout in the NBA and a short stint playing overseas, Farmer was tabbed to join Gene Bartow’s staff at UCLA.
Bartow had taken over for Wooden. And, Farmer followed Larry Brown in 1981 as UCLA’s head coach, compiling a 61-23 mark the next three seasons.
He has coached at the professional (overseas) and collegiate levels ever since. He won 166 games as a head collegiate coach, serving at UCLA, Weber State and Loyola-Chicago. Farmer has spent the last five years on the Western Michigan staff. He also coached the Kuwaiti National Team from 1992-97 after coaching the Qadsia Sporting Club.
