JULY 2, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A11
WING: ‘It was a boatload of
responsibility, but I loved it’
Continued from page A1
to return to the gym.
“I always had in my head that I wanted
to be a physical education teacher,” Wing
said. “This is a job where you can make
a living, but you also have fun and get a
chance to do fun things. It always came
back to wanting to be in the gym and do
things with kids.”
After teaching and coaching prep bas-
ketball in Redmond and Corvallis, Wing
applied for a pair of jobs in the Salem-
Keizer area (Myers Elementary and
Gubser). Wing was off ered the job at both
sites, but was persuaded to come to Gubser.
“I was off ered both on that same day,
but then principal Mel Hurley told me 'you
interviewed here fi rst, so you have to come
to Gubser,'” Wing said.
After commuting to the school from
Lake Oswego in his fi rst year at Gubser,
Wing, and his wife, Margot, built a house in
Keizer — 200 meters away from Gubser —
meaning that Wing got the opportunity to
walk to school every day.
“I was able to go home for lunch and see
my kids in their toddler stage and hang out
with them before coming back to school. It
was just amazing,” Wing said.
There was one point in Wing’s career
where his wife worked at Gubser, and
his two kids, Ace and Averi, attended the
school.
One of Wing’s favorite memories was
when Averi was in kindergarten and raised
her hand in the middle of class to tell her
dad that she loved him.
“You can’t get much better than things
like that,” Wing said.
Some people may get weary of working
in the same place for more than 30 years.
But Wing couldn’t ever see himself at a dif-
ferent spot.
“Even though it’s the same school, it’s
new kids every year, with new challenges.
I always felt that the kids were the most
important. It just seemed like when I went
to look at other positions, high school or
middle school, I could never fi nd what I
thought was a better thing for me to do,”
Wing said.
Although he is a former athlete, Wing’s
main motivation for teaching physical edu-
cation isn’t teaching a bunch of games.
He wants his students to understand the
necessity of physical fi tness and continue
to work on improving their endurance.
“When you’re 25 or 30, you're not going
to be playing some of these sports, but I
want them to be able to go for a hike, or
climb out of a situation where maybe if you
fell into a hole, you could be strong enough
to save yourself,” Wing said. “I want kids
moving. They are sitting in their classroom
most of the day. But when they come in
here, we are not going to spend much time
sitting. I am happy if a kid is able to fi nally
do a pushup without their knees touching.
It’s not a competition.”
Along with teaching, Wing also served
as the primary assistant coach for the
Willamette University men’s basketball
team, which was one of the most successful
small-college programs in the Northwest
during his tenure.
With being a teacher and coach, as well
as traveling for recruiting, Wing had a lot
on his plate. But he enjoyed every second
of it.
“It was a boatload of responsibility, but I
loved it,” Wing said.
Wing was a part of the Willamette
coaching staff from 1987 to 2009 and helped
coach the Bearcats to the NAIA National
Championship in 1993 when Willamette
achieved a 29-4 record.
“(Wally) displayed a special talent in
being able to connect with players of all
ages. He was an excellent teacher of the
game who stressed correct skill execution.
He taught the fundamentals of the game,
but most importantly he taught the fun-
damentals of life,” said former Willamette
head coach Gordie James.
Wing coached under James for each
of his 22 seasons at Willamette. James is
somewhat of a legend in local basketball
circles and was the head coach for the
lone varsity championship in Willamette
history.
“We always had a lot of fun with bas-
ketball. Gordie had a chance to go to other
places. Oregon State was even interested in
one pont, but he just liked the small school
level. We always promoted the priority of
academics, family, and basketball,” Wing
said. “He would get pretty intense, and I
was the one that would reel him back. But
we seemed to manage it and make it work.”
When James retired in 2009, Wing was
off ered the head coaching job. But with
both his kids active in playing sports at
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McNary at the time, Wing decided that he
would step away from coaching for the time
being so that he could be there to support
his children in their athletic endeavors.
“I had to make a really tough decision.
My kids were in high school at the time
and I made the decision that I wanted to
see them do their activities. I didn’t want to
be driving to Walla Walla or Spokane while
they were here. I couldn’t do both. I’m not
disappointed that I didn’t take it,” Wing
said.
In 2012, Wing returned to Willamette
to serve as the interim women’s basketball
coach for six months while the program
searched for a permanent replacement.
After his tenure with the women’s program,
Wing got back into high school coaching at
Salem Academy and Sprague High School.
Four years later, Wing began serving
as an assistant varsity coach and JV head
coach with the McNary boys basketball
program. McNary’s head coach, Ryan
Kirch, was actually coached by Wing as
a youngster at a Willamette basketball
camp in 1989 and recruited by Wing in the
mid-90s.
"He is the silver fox around town. I could
sit in here and talk with you for a whole day
about how great it is to have him in our pro-
gram," Kirch said. "We are really fortunate
to have him."
Even after all these years, Wing still
enjoys the little things that come with
being a coach.
“Even things like getting on the bus and
riding to the games, I still think that is a lot
of fun,” Wing said.
Wing has received plenty of recognition
for his coaching prowess over the years, but
in 2012 it was the dedication to the kids at
Gubser that helped him receive a Crystal
Apple award — Crystal Apples are annual
awards given to public school educators
who have made a positive impact on the
lives of their students.
“The best part of Mr. Wing is that he has
a huge heart for all his students. His stu-
dents don’t have to be athletically gifted
to get his attention. They just have to walk
into his gym. Whatever background they
bring doesn’t matter. Mr. Wing just fi nds
a way to go a little bit further to be some-
one a little extra special, and his students
love him for it,” said Nancy Snyder, who’s
daughter, Emma, had Wing as a teacher.”
While Wing is excited to have the time
to see friends and family and go on outdoor
adventures, he said that he will greatly miss
working with kids every day.
“I will defi nitely miss the interactions
with kids. Just the day to day checking in
with them and trying to get them out of
their shell,” Wing said.
Beating
the heat
ABOVE: A group of kids run through the
splash fountain in Chalmers Jones Park
on a sweltering afternoon Friday, June 25.
High temperature records were shattered
throughout the state as the a heat wave
swept over the Pacific Northwest.
LEFT: Visitors at Keizer Rapids Parks
launch watercraft on the afternoon of Satu-
day, June 27.
Photos by ERIC A. HOWALD
and LYNDON ZAITZ of Keizertimes