Acclaimed championship basketball coach Burney Ray Kirkland was a 32-year coaching veteran who led programs at Bloomo High in Philadelphia, New Hope, Hickory Flat, Scott Central, Horn Lake, and Lake. A native of DeKalb, Burney graduate from Cleveland High where he was named Most Athletic. He served in the U.S. Navy for two years before returning to Livingston University in Alabama to earn his college degree. He launched his 32-year coaching career in 1960 at Bloomo Junior High in Philadelphia. He headed to Columbus and New Hope High where his boys and girls hoops teams would win their first of many titles. From 1965 to 1970, Coach Kirkland led programs at Hickory Flat until he moved to Scott Central High at Forest. After a short stint at Horn Lake, he would arrive at Lake High where he would have his longest coaching tenure. He returned to Scott Central after 13 years at Lake. Overall, he coached 845 girls’ games and 714 boys contests. His boys team won 456 games with only 258 losses while his girls claimed 651 wins and only 194 losses. Coach Kirkland’s boys’ teams won 64% of their games and his girls fared even better winning 77% of their games. Burney’s boys’ teams brought home 5 Cherokee Conference Championships, 3 district crowns, 1 division title, and several sub district titles. His girls’ teams won 2 Tallahatchie Conference titles, 1 Chickasaw Conference crown, 7 Cherokee Conference championships, 2 division and 7 district titles, one North State and 2 South State championships. Coach Kirkland’s greatest coaching success was during his 13-year stay at Lake where his boys won 5 consecutive Cherokee Conference Championships from 1981 to 1986 while the girls claimed 4 straight Cherokee Conference titles from 1982 to 1986. His Lake teams won 9 conference titles in a 5-year span. For his coaching efforts, Burney was named coach of the year by the Cherokee Conference 13 times—7 for the girls and 6 for the boys. The Chickasaw Conference named him girls Coach of the Year for his single season at Horn Lake in 1975, the same year he was selected as an All-Star Coach in the Mississippi High School All-Star basketball game. Overall, his girls’ teams played in 20 North or South State tournaments along with 9 state tournament appearances while his boys played in 6 North or South state tournaments with 5 state tournament appearances. Coach Kirkland had 3 girls teams finish with 30 or more wins on three occasions including a 38-4 season and 7 of those girl’s teams won 20 or more games. His boys’ teams won 20 or more games 5 times including 4 squads that had 28 victories. Burney’s coaching abilities were not limited to the basketball court as he coached girls track and baseball at Scott Central, Horn Lake, and New Hope. He led Scott Central to 2 Cherokee Conference girls track titles in 1971 & 1972. Coach Kirkland also served his profession as a longtime MAC member as well as membership in the Mississippi Association of Educators, the Mississippi Professional Educators, and the National Federation of Interscholastic Coaches Association.