Richard Fast鈥檚 Oak Bay Bays senior boys鈥� high school soccer team has dedicated its season to former captain Dylan Jones who passed away Sept. 13 at the age of 27 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
The initials D.J. adorn the right shoulder on the Bays鈥� uniforms.
鈥淲e thought it would be a fitting tribute to his memory,鈥� said Fast, who coached Jones at the high school. 鈥淗e was an impact player 鈥� a multi-sport athlete here.
鈥淗e was just a tremendous kid from a great family. We miss him a lot and we just want to pay respect to his family and all his contributions he made at Oak Bay while he was here.鈥�
Jones made an lasting impression in every sport he played, Fast said of the rugby, basketball and lacrosse athlete.
鈥淩ugby was probably his best sport, but he was equally strong at the others as well 鈥� an impact player with the heart of a lion. There was no fear and he was an ultimate competitor. He never shied away from the big moment,鈥� said Fast, whose Bays opened their Lower Island league season with a 3-2 victory over the Royal Bay Ravens on Thursday.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had these patches embroidered on our jerseys in Dylan鈥檚 name and are raising money for Cops for Cancer this year. Dylan had leukemia for three years. He was waiting for stem cell surgery, but unfortunately picked up an infection and didn鈥檛 make it out,鈥� said Fast.
鈥淐ancer takes its toll on families and until we have a cure, people are going to lose loved ones too early. You should never out-live your kids and I really feel for Evan [his father], Rhys [brother] and Christy [his mother] 鈥� his whole family. This is just a little way to pay tribute to him and honour his memory.鈥�
His father Evan was also a star high school athlete 鈥� a back-to-back sa国际传媒 basketball champion in 1973 and 1974 鈥� before becoming a nationally-capped rugby player after an injury cut his CFL-playing career short. He was a football all-star at UBC for three seasons and is an Oak Bay High Hall-of-Famer.
On this sun-filled day, the Bays responded with a victory over a gritty Ravens team.
Fittingly, this year鈥檚 co-captain Mattias Earthy Find headed in the winner in the dying minutes on a superb cross from Jordane Burke after the Ravens were down to 10 men when Andrea Sabatini was sent off after his second yellow card.
Sean Young spotted the Bays an early 1-0 advantage but Matheus Patto 鈥� who was problematic for the Bays defence all afternoon 鈥� collected his first of two goals for the Ravens late in the opening half. Diego Maffia redirected Ben Johannknecht鈥檚 well-served cross for the Bays鈥� second goal to make it 2-1 Oak Bay.
The result was fitting for the Bays on their home field with the initials D.J. on their shoulders, but more so, his memory in their thoughts.
鈥淚 heard a quote the other day, 鈥楲egends never die鈥� and with Dylan, that鈥檚 the case. His spirit lives on and it will live on with us,鈥� added Fast.
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