Oak Bay High School honoured one of its more popular educators and coaches on Friday night, officially naming its gym after Gary Taylor, who began his career at the acclaimed learning institution in 1955, spending 14 years at the school.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tremendous honour,鈥� said the 84-year-old, who led the Oak Bay Bays to six Island senior boys basketball championships, two provincial titles and two runners-up finishes at provincials. 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted. I鈥檓 honoured and it鈥檚 been great.鈥�
Taylor was recognized between semifinals of the eighth annual Gary Taylor Classic senior boys tournament on Friday night at centre court in the new $51.6-million gym at the school.
鈥淭here were a lot of wonderful memories at Oak Bay High School,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a wonderful career of teaching. I really enjoyed it. I got to know the kids really well. It allowed me to get into the gym and around the school 鈥� coaching allowed me to do that.
鈥淚 just loved to teach, to be with the kids. I loved the schools and I was enthusiastic about teaching,鈥� added Taylor, who shared the moment with his wife Margot (herself an Oak Bay grad) and his son Graham (who won three national basketball championships with the UVic).
Taylor began teaching at Oak Bay in 1955 and retired in 1990 with several stops in between. He became a vice-principal at Lansdowne, principal at Cedar Hill Jr. Secondary and wrapped up his career from 1983-90 as principal at Lambrick Park.
A native of Powell River, Taylor went on to study at UBC where he played both basketball and football and it was with the Thunderbirds where he met one of his most influential coaches, Don Coryell.
鈥淒o you remember him?鈥� Taylor asked with a smile.
He was referring to Coryell, who eventually went on to coach at USC and San Diego State before joining the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League in 1973 for five years before wrapping up his sparkling career with the San Diego Chargers from 1978-86.
Coryell is still renowned for developing the Chargers鈥� 鈥淎ir Coryell鈥� offence, one of the greatest passing systems in the NFL, which was led by quarterback Dan Fouts.
鈥淗e was hired at UBC. He didn鈥檛 stay very long as he moved into colleges in the States and into the pro leagues with St. Louis and San Diego. Air Coryell 鈥� he was a fantastic coach. I have never met someone as enthusiastic about sport as he was,鈥� recalled Taylor.
Which is how current Oak Bay leaders, like principal Dave Thomson, athletic director Richard Fast and senior boys basketball coach Chris Franklin now describe Taylor.
Coryell spent just two seasons at UBC from 1953-54.
鈥淎t the time we played in the Evergreen Conference, the only Canadian school competing against the likes of Western, Eastern and Central Washington, Pacific Lutheran and Whitworth College,鈥� recalled Taylor. 鈥淲e were in a tough league. We had some great players and it was a great learning experience for me.鈥�
He carried that experience into his lengthy and productive teaching career in which he was also a very successful swimming and track and field coach.
He is now a member of the Oak Bay High Sports Hall of Fame, was inducted into the sa国际传媒 Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
His name is now emblazoned on the hardwood floor at Oak Bay鈥檚 main gym.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a special day for a very special man,鈥� said Franklin.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all overwhelming,鈥� said Taylor, who still resides in the Cadboro Bay area.
FREE THROWS: Defending champion Vancouver College lost 90-65 to Sir Winston Churchill of Calgary in the early semifinal at the Gary Taylor Classic on Friday and Oak Bay beat Cowichan 94-63 in the late game to advance to today鈥檚 6 p.m. final.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
