He has never forgotten his time spent in North Dakota, especially those poverty ridden years in Minot. Despite numerous obstacles, he grew up to become an outstanding leader and one of the best recognized men in the United States. His basketball coaching accomplishments are legendary. Many of the records he set with clipboard in hand will likely never be broken.

He’s Dale Brown, a young athlete at St. Leo’s Catholic School who rose to national prominence as head coach of the Louisiana State University Tigers. For 25 years he guided LSU’s basketball program with a combination of passion, dedication and grace. Through it all, he never forgot the values he learned while growing up in North Dakota.

“It’s hard to explain, being from Minot and my wife from Columbus,” said Brown. “We never wanted to leave North Dakota. We wanted to live and die there but we just couldn’t make a living.”

Brown’s salary while teaching five subjects and coaching sports at Columbus High School in 1957 was $392 a month. He later coached five seasons at Minot Bishop Ryan High School. His career took him to Palm Springs, California, Utah State, Washington State and, finally, to LSU where became a fan and player favorite and a Louisiana legend.

Brown will be returning to Minot later this year. The basketball courts at Hammond Park will be dedicated to him on Aug. 20. A monument honoring him will be unveiled at that time.

“To come back and have this happen, I’m really grateful, deeply appreciative,” said Brown.

The dedication of Dale Brown courts originated with Minoter A.J. Lizotte. His father, Alfred Ronald Lizotte, was a high school friend of Brown. A.J. Lizotte had heard his father speak well of Brown on several occasions, telling him that, “If you ever have a chance to meet him, do it.”

A.J. Lizotte’s chance came by surprise a few years later when Brown strode into the gymnasium to briefly address the Bishop Ryan football team prior to a home game. Following a team prayer, 16-year-old sophomore A.J. Lizotte introduced himself to Brown.

Brown responded, “Are you Ronnie’s boy?”

Alfred “Ronnie” Lizotte had passed away two years earlier. Brown took the news hard but told A.J. Lizotte that he would be watching him during that evening’s football game. The moment made a deep impression on A.J. Lizotte. Thirty-two years later he would meet Brown again, this time during an eighth-grade basketball tournament in the Ryan gym. Again, A.J. Lizotte introduced himself.

Lizotte’s son was playing in one of the games. At Lizotte’s request Brown agreed to watch the game and offer some basketball wisdom. The advice worked. Lizotte never forgot the kindness shown by Brown. Now he’s leading the project to dedicate the basketball courts at Hammond Park to a national coaching treasure Dale Brown.

Brown has never sought glory or fame, it arrived on his doorstep naturally through hard work and dedication and motivation. Despite all the honors bestowed upon him, he has never turned his back on his home state.

As for coming back to Minot, Brown writes, “I’ll pack thanks to all those friends that gave me words of encouragement. Throw in a whole lot of love, love for the people and the state of North Dakota which taught me the American dream was, in fact, not a dream at all but the reality that you make of it. Every time I return to my home state I can feel my roots beneath my very feet and the past whispering in my ear. I would not change my upbringing in North Dakota for anything.”

Strong words from a boy who lived in a small apartment above a bar and hardware store while his mother worked hard to provide him a living. Brown delivered papers to help with expenses. He recalls his mother’s welfare check of $42.50 a month and how they had to carefully plan how to spend it.

As for how the United States and the world has changed from the time Brown was leading the Tigers, the coach responded, “I’m not sure I could coach now with this modern mentality. We’ve lost our moral compass. Need a helping hand? Look at the end of your arm. Everybody is expecting something.”

Those are the kinds of words and statements to be expected from a man who became a motivational and inspirational leader on and off the basketball court.

Anyone wishing to donate to the cost of the monument for the Dale Brown Courts can do so by contacting the Minot Park Foundation, Dale Brown Project, at Minot Park District, P.O. Box 538, Minot, ND 58702.

(Prairie Profile is a weekly feature profiling interesting people in our region. We welcome suggestions from our readers. Call Editor Mike Sasser at 857-1959 or Regional Editor Eloise Ogden at 857-1944. Either can be reached at 1-800-735-3229. You also can send e-mail suggestions to msasser@minotdailynews.com.