Coach Willig

I sat in a wooden pew this morning and listened to story after story of a great man. Students, players, friends, colleagues, relatives stood and spoke about his compassion, his humor, his love, his passion, his fortitude, and how he inspired everyone around him.

I remember meeting Coach Willig for the first time when I was in 8th grade. He came to an AAU practice and watched us play as he would be our coach the next year. He shook my hand and introduced himself. I told him my name and mentioned that my goal was to make the varsity team my freshman year and that I had been working hard this past summer to make the team. He said "Keep working hard." He invited me to go to Gonzaga University with the high school teams. On our way, he walked to the back of the bus, handed me a varsity shooting shirt, and said "Here's your shot. Don't blow it."

From that moment on, I was one of Willig's players, one of his kids. He never made me feel second-rate just because I was a freshman or I wasn't a starter. He invested into me the same he invested into everyone else. He taught us to work hard, to laugh, to give it your all, and to pay it forward. He believed in me when a lot of people wouldn't have. He gave me a chance when most wouldn't have. I accomplished my goal of making the varsity team freshman year, but the coolest part about that was it meant I got to have Willig as my coach.

My hearts desire is to be a basketball coach and a teacher. I have had several who have influenced that desire, but Coach Willig was the very first person who instilled that calling into me. I will forever be indebted to him, grateful for the time I was able to know him, and feel honored to have been one of his kids.