By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
Okarche lost a community, school and coaching pillar last week.
Longtime Warriors coach and Okarche Public Schools teacher Ray West died Saturday at age 68 after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this summer. He fought the disease over recent months until his health worsened last week.
“It’s a huge loss to the school and the community,” Okarche Superintendent Rob Friesen said. “He has made an impact on every young man that came through the basketball program and his impact reached out even further with his camps and the coaching community. Everybody around here knows Ray West. You can’t replace someone like that. You just try to carry on his legacy.”
West coached for 45 years, including the last 25 at Okarche. He led the Warriors to the state tournament 11 times, including a trip to the Class A semifinals last season. He also coached at Fort Supply, Gould, Purcell, Mustang, Mountain View and Cordell during his career and was the state’s active wins leader in boys basketball with 853 career victories.
“He had been here for 25 years and with that many wins and accolades he was obviously doing something right,” Friesen said. “But it wasn’t just about the Xs and Os with Ray. Sure, he lived and breathed basketball and not many of us can say we are as laser focused as him, but he was also a great leader. It was more than winning, it was the kind of impact he had on his players. At Okarche when we look to hire someone, we look to hire the best. And I think we had that with Ray.”
Former Okarche coach, Tom Arms, played a big part in bringing West to Okarche more than two decades ago. He knew then why West was the right man for the job and a great fit for the program and school.
“When I told the superintendent at the time that I was leaving, I felt it was my responsibility to find the best coach I could to come in and take over,” Arms said. “I saw Ray’s name pop up on the application list and for two weeks I made sure his was at the top on our superintendent’s desk. Finally they came to me and I told them he would be my pick.”
West and Arms conducted a practice interview and after two attempts Arms knew it was meant to be.
“He (West) reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a brand new jersey,” Arms said. “He said ‘I expect my team to play with class, so I want them dressed first class.’ So I told him thanks for coming and he was shocked.
“At that time we didn’t spend money on new uniforms. So we restarted and this time he reached in his duffel bag and pulled out a list of kids he had sent to academic camps and functions and how they finished. I was blown away. Nobody has a list of students like that. I reached across the table and told him congratulations and that we were going to love having him here.”
West’s most recent All-State player, Cris Avila, who graduated last spring, knew after his high school career was over that a lot of what he learned as a player and person is owed to his former coach.
“He was such an inspiration to me, my family and teammates,” Avila said. “I learned more than just how to play basketball at a high level from him. He taught me lessons that I know I will use the rest of my life. He just made a big impact on us and we knew we were blessed to have him as a coach.”
West’s wake and memorial service will be held at the new gymnasium at OHS Friday at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Okarche followed by his burial at St. Francis Cemetery in Canute.
