Gary Lewis, Class of ’81, was, according to Dick McConnell’s own words, “one of the most outstanding basketball players”, making All City and All State in both 1980 and 1981. He was also Honorable Mention Converse All American. Gary went on to letter all four years at Texas A&M and played professionally for two years in France.
In 1989 Gary returned to Tucson where he coached the Sahuaro Freshman team from 1989-92 until leaving for the Head Coaching job at Catalina Foothills High School. He held that position until he moved to Tucson High Magnet School in 1998 serving as Head Coach and in 2006 he also became Athletic Director, both of which are his current positions.
Gary has been honored several times as “Secondary P.E Teacher of the Year” on all three levels i.e. District, State, and National. He has been named three times
as Southern Arizona Coach of the Year and once as the Dick McConnell Coach of the Year.
Mark Mistler states that Gary might have gone on to coach on the college level “but decided to stay because he wanted to help many underprivileged kids that need a great role model like Gary”. Dick McConnell says, “He is known as a person of high character, which is one reason I respect him so much.”
Gary has been married to Amy (SHS ’81) for 27 years. They have two sons, Tyrrel and Landyn.