RAPID CITY — The Custer Wildcats are honoring their beloved basketball coach this season.

Larry Luitjens, the state’s all-time winningest basketball coach, died in June. Luitjens, who was 81, won seven state championships and left a lasting impact on South Dakota hoops. 

This season, the Custer High School boys and girls basketball teams are honoring Luitjens with emblems on team apparel. The emblems say “Forever A Wildcat” and Lutijens’ initials in the center. 

“We came up with this as a way to honor him,” said Custer boys basketball coach Paul Kelley, a former Wildcat player. “We felt it was a just thing to do, to have coach Luitjens with us as we went into the season.”

The Custer High School boys and girls basketball teams are honoring Luitjens with emblems on team apparel. The emblems say “Forever A Wildcat” and Lutijens’ initials in the center. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Luijtens racked up 748 wins during his coaching career that spanned from 1967-2014. He coached in 13 state championship games and won seven titles. He began his coaching career at Custer in 1973, leading the Wildcats to 14 state-tournament appearances and five state titles. In a 16-year stretch from 1988-2003, Luitjens' Wildcats reached the state Class A tourney 10 times, finishing first five times (1990, '92, '93, '98 and '02) and second three ('89, '91 and '03). 

Luitjens only coached the Custer boys program, but both teams are sporting the Luitjens emblems this season. 

“We even talked to our girls program and we have coach Tayt Vincent, who is a Sioux Valley kid,” Kelley said. “But everybody knows the Larry Luitjens legacy and we said ‘Do you want to put it on yours as well?’ They are like ‘Absolutely.’ It’s just a way for our programs to say he is always with us and he is always going to be with us. We appreciate what he’s done for not just our program, but our community and our lives.”

In addition to Kelley, Custer Superintendent Mark Naugle and boys assistant coach Isaac Parsons also played for Luitjens. 

The Wildcats are again playing in the Lakota Nation Invitational this week in Rapid City. Custer has been a staple in the Native American event since the 1980s. This is the first LNI for the Wildcats since Luitjens’ death. 

Luitjens developed a strong relationship with the Native American schools, along with LNI Director Bryan Brewer and other coordinators during his tenure as coach. Luitjens regularly coached with a Native American traditional beaded necklace. 

“We want to keep the Custer basketball, the Larry Luitjens legacy going in the LNI,” Kelley said. “We are just honored to always be a part of it and we love to be a part of it.”

The Custer High School boys and girls basketball teams are honoring Luitjens with emblems on team apparel. The emblems say “Forever A Wildcat” and Lutijens’ initials in the center. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

As a former player and now coach, Kelley knows how special the weeklong Lakota Nation Invitational is to all involved. Kelley played in Custer’s first-ever LNI appearance in 1987. 

“It’s a great tournament,” Kelley said. “It’s a great atmosphere. It’s a cultural exchange. It’s just an unbelievable experience I am super excited they are talking about expanding it to 64 teams. Bryan and his staff do a phenomenal job and it’s just a joy for us to be associated with it for the years we have.”

After his retirement, Luitjens regularly attended the LNI and Kelley recalls the legendary coach in attendance the past couple of years. 

“It was always fun to see him sitting up on the stage and kind of being still a presence and it special for us,” Kelley said. “We want to do well for coach Luitjens. He’s always with us.”