The name Willie Akers resonates across West Virginia.
His presence on the hardwood allowed for many battles, state titles and a legacy that is forever cemented at Logan High School and Logan County.
Akers died on Tuesday at 89. Akers spent two decades coaching the Wildcats, guiding them to four state titles and four state runner-up finishes.
Akers finished his coaching career with a record of 402-116.
The news of his death sent shockwaves across the southern coalfield area and the Mountain State.
"I've never seen or interacted with any of my peers in coaching or even in playing that had more class than Willie Akers," former St. Albans coach Tex Williams said. "He is the model for someone that would exemplify what athletics is all about and what an athlete is all about, because he was the fierce competitor and 100% gentleman.
"His demeanor was just total respect, whether or not they were on the winning or losing side of the game, which he was on the winning side most of the time. His character remained stable. Willie Akers is just special, very special."
Akers' time at Logan came during a period when the coal-mining industry was booming. Logan had more than 4,100 residents when Akers took the job in the 1960s.
Basketball games on Logan's home floor, now named Willie Akers Arena, became an escape for many in that area.
Former play-by-play voice Speedy Bevins is among many with vivid memories of Akers' Runnin' Wildcats more than 50 years later.
"I started in December of ’72, and when Willie left at the end of the 1983 season, I was there with him," Bevins said. "I recognized early on as a young man that I wasn't just at a basketball game. I was at an event. To me, that sums up Willie. We just didn't have basketball games at the Field House. Those were events.
"The entire community was there. Willie was the king of keeping it simple. He believed in execution and conditioning."
His presence as a coach touched the lives of many young men, with some going into the coaching profession. Former South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä and Logan coach Vic Herbert is one of them.
Herbert coached 17 seasons between the Wildcats and Black Eagles, winning 177 games at SC. He only had one losing season in a nearly-two-decade career.
Herbert played for Akers for one season at Logan in 1976-77. Those Wildcats won the Class AAA state title over Washington Irving in Clarksburg.
"As far as a mentor, he was a guy that you could go to any time you wanted, and he would help you," Herbert said. "Even all the way up to when I was coaching at South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, he did some things for me over there. I know the effect he had on my life. Without a question, the No. 1 influence that I had in my life ... and I bet a lot of the other guys that played for coach Akers would say the same thing."
Logan and St. Albans had several toe-to-toe meetings, with Akers on the sidelines against Williams.
The Red Dragons entered the 1977 Class AAA state tournament undefeated. However, a date with the Wildcats turned things south for Williams and St. Albans.
"We grew up in the same type of culture," Williams said. "We knew each other all the way back from high school. But our greatest times that we had was when we would get together on the court. We were very competitive in our games. Logan always had great teams, and they won probably most of the games that we played Logan.
"But the one that stands out is in 1977, my team was undefeated and had won 23 straight games. We met Logan in the semifinals of the state basketball tournament, and they had a real excellent team."
That one stood out in Williams' memory after hearing of Akers' passing.
"I looked at a photo this morning with me and Willie's handshake in 1977 when we were going into that contest," Williams said. "Regardless of who won, he and I were solidly friends in every aspect."
Akers' competitive fire was frequently on display, dating back to his days as a player at Mullens High School.
Akers led the Rebels to the 1955 state title and was an all-state selection that season.
He went on to play college basketball at WVU for coach Fred Schaus and was part of a golden time in Mountaineers men's basketball that also featured WVU icon Jerry West.
He was a letterman for the Mountaineers from 1958-60 and was part of the 1959 national runner-up team that fell to California by one point.
The spark that Akers brought on the court was felt by many of his opponents, including Welch coach Frank Marino.
"Frank was a great guy, and Frank was not short on self-confidence," Bevins said. "He just wanted to stick it to Willie one night. We go to Welch and are warming up. Frank goes over and shakes Willie's hand and says, 'Class starts in five minutes.' Willie just gets fired up over that.
"Logan put a spanking on Welch. Willie really took it to him. Buzzer sounds, game over. Willie walks down to Frank, shakes his hand and says, 'Class dismissed.'"
But, regardless of the competitive nature of Akers, his personality is what still resonates with Herbert.
"Never, ever one time in the whole time I played or knew for coach Akers did I ever hear foul language come out of his mouth," Herbert said. "Now, he could get on you. I mean, my golly, he didn't have any problem setting you straight. You knew he was doing it for you and to make you a better person.
"I don't know anybody that ever took offense to getting jumped on by coach Akers. There was just so much respect, and everybody knew he had so much knowledge, not just about the game of basketball, but about life in general."
Akers gave the Logan community a lasting collection of memories.
Bevins brought up the 1971 trip Logan made to Morgantown to compete in the state tournament inside the WVU Coliseum, which had opened on Dec. 1, 1970.
"It was quite a haul," Bevins said. "There was no I-79, so getting to Morgantown was an experience. The business community of Logan chartered buses, not school buses, but charter buses. They chartered three buses free of charge to any student who wanted to take the bus up and back to Morgantown and watch Logan play in the Coliseum.
"What community would do that in 2026? But in 1971, they did. All they had to do was buy a ticket when they got there and buy a hot dog and pizza. The bus ride up and back was free because the business community supported Willie and Logan High School so much."
