Jim Curcio, the varsity boys basketball coach at the Wheatley School, recently attained his 200th career varsity basketball victory, a significant coaching milestone. The win came on Jan. 30 in Wheatley's overtime victory against Locust Valley by a score of 44-40. Coach Curcio's first varsity basketball win came during the 1985-86 season, when Jim coached the varsity boys basketball team at Transit Tech High School in New York City. He continued to coach at Tech until 1994, and his coaching career resumed when he was named varsity coach at Wheatley for the 1997-98 season.

Coach Curcio graduated from Hunter College in 1972 with a degree in physical education. He received a graduate degree from Lehman College in 1980, and in 1990 he completed his professional diploma in educational administration from the College of Staten Island. During his coaching tenure at Transit Tech, Coach Curcio's teams won Conference titles in 1986, 1987 and 1993. In the 1993 season, the team also captured the PSAL New York City championship.

In Jim's fourth season at Wheatley, his team enjoyed one of those magical seasons that every coach wishes for. The team captured its conference championship and defeated arch-rival Malverne to win the Nassau County championship. A thrilling last second three-point shot captured the Long Island Regional title and earned Wheatley and Coach Curcio a trip to the final four of the New York State championships, where the dream season ended in the semi-final game.

During each of the nine seasons that Coach Curcio has led the Wildcats, he has entered his team in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's Scholar Athlete Recognition Program, for which the team has been recognized for its academic achievement. In 2003, the team was declared New York State champions for attaining the highest collective GPA of all boys basketball teams from across New York State.

Coach Curcio currently serves as the director of physical education and athletics at Franklin K. Lane School in Brooklyn.