Okarche's West was a big time, small-town coach
OKARCHE — Ray West was persistent with each phone call.
It was in the mid-2000s and the Phoenix Suns were at the height of Mike D'Antoni's famous “seven seconds or less” offense. West was well into his tenure at Okarche High School as the boys basketball coach and simply wanted to know the ins and outs of the pick- and- roll force D'Antoni built.
The small- town coach called and called again until D'Antoni finally responded.
The two coaches — one at the highest level and one located in a small community west of Oklahoma City known for fried chicken and basketball — bonded for hours as West learned.
“That's not something I would try to do myself,” Edmond Memorial coach Shane Cowherd said. “Ray didn't care. He just loved the game of basketball, he loved what it did for kids, he loved what it had done for him.”
West died Saturday following a brief battle with cancer. He was 68. A memorial service at Okarche High School's new gym is at 7 p.m. Friday. His funeral is 10 a.m. Saturday at Okarche's Holy Trinity
Catholic Church.
Throughout 45 years as a basketball coach, West became a legend in the game himself. West didn't coach in the NBA or at a Division I level, but he coached his players like they were.
West amassed 853 career victories, the highest total among active coaches. In 25 years at Okarche, he became “Mr. Okarche” while leading the Warriors to 11 state tournaments, including last season with his son, Aaron, as his assistant coach.
“Sometimes you don't know what you got until it's gone,” Aaron said. “We had a blast. This past year was special. I just feel like our kids are great, but it was so awesome.
“I see the big picture now. Maybe my dad was sick and God had a plan and allowed us to overcome a lot of adversity this year and make it to state. Just to be able to
do that with your father is something I'll never forget and always cherish those memories, especially now.”
Ray became known as a vigorous student of the game early in his career. He maintained that until coaching his final game in the state semifinals in March.
With longtime basketball coach Cherie Myers building Okarche's girls program into a powerhouse, West was alongside cheering and asking questions to learn more.
Myers even tried to get West to join her in retirement. Naturally, he refused. He loved everything — the players, the preparation, the learning, the game — too much.
“It's still not real to me,” Myers said. “You expect Ray to be on that sideline. He's one of those people that you hope we all are, but you know we're not. He truly, truly loved his job.”
West established the Little All- City games and his famous ` Best of the West” camp early,
and that became a staple for teams in the summer. Cowherd first met West as a young coach at Western Heights around 2003. Looking to improve his team, Cowherd took the Jets to the camp.
He and West instantly clicked.
Throughout the years, Cowherd became a state- champion coach and perennial state tournament participant at Edmond Memorial. Each time the Bulldogs made state, West sent a text message followed by a hand-written letter followed by a phone call to Cowherd.
Even this summer, Cowherd took his freshman team to the camp. Afterward, West asked to address the team. He delivered one final positive message.
“He went out of his way to make young coaches lives' easier,” Cowherd said. “He showed us the right way to make yourself an advocate for basketball.”
That made the summer tough.
West never wanted
people to feel sorry for him as he ailed. Most in Okarche were unaware he was sick until last week. He was still convinced he could beat cancer.
By then, a family member alerted a college coach of West's condition.
He received letters or phone calls from Lon Kruger, Bill Self, Bob Huggins, Kelvin Sampson, Juwan Howard, John Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski in his final days.
West always felt like a simple small-school basketball coach. Nothing flashy. Nothing special.
But the joy of a sick 68-year-old man dancing in the yard to tell his son Coach K called to wish him well proved otherwise. That was a boost for a small-town coach who was certainly big time.
“Cancer is a tough thing,” Aaron said. “He wasn't ready to give up. I was just inspired by that because not only did he teach the toughness and the fight and believing, he also practiced that. He showed it until the end.”