Coaching legend Gary Ernst returns to Mountain View for Hall of Fame induction
Gary Ernst stepped foot in the Mesa Mountain View gym for the first day of the Visit Mesa Basketball Challenge in late December. It was the first time he had been in the Toros gym since he was forced out late last season after 38 years as the school's basketball coach.
"I wanted to get that out of the way," he said. "And it was really very difficult to walk into that gym.
"There were so many people who came up to me and said, 'Hi,' that they missed me. It really turned out to be a good night."
Ernst was set to return again Friday night to where he left his long coaching legacy and be inducted into the Mountain View Sports Hall of Fame. Ernst won a state-record 943 games during a coaching career that began in the mid-1970s at Chandler High. He coached his last 38 years at Mountain View, where he won seven of his eight state championships.
When he was let go by Principal Mike Oliver, it was a difficult process for Ernst, feeling he had earned the right to leave on his terms.
"The last year has been a tough year, but the 38 years with all those great kids and all the success that we had, it kind of respresents all of that, which is what I'm really proud of," Ernst said.
Oliver calls Ernst a legend, whom one day will have the court named after him.
"Legends inspire us," Oliver said. "They give us something to aspire to. They are exemplars to emulate as we strive to make our way. Gary Ernst is a legend. He is Mountain View. He is being inducted into the Toro Hall of Fame and will one day have a court with his name on it and his signature etched into the hardwood.
"More importantly, the signature of his life is etched upon the hearts of legions of young men and an entire community. Having Gary in a gym that he built means everything. People from all over the world talk about Mountain View culture. Hundreds of families have bought homes in the neighborhood to become part of it. It's bigger than academics, performing arts, or basketball. It's a Campus of Champions, and Gary Ernst helped build it."
New coach Andy Johnson has embraced the Ernst legacy, even having former Ernst star player Kendall Wallace be part of Johnson's staff. Wallace and Johnson both called Ernst this week to congratulate him going into the Mountain View Hall of Fame.
"It means a lot coming from ex-players," Ernst said.
The ceremony was scheduled for halftime of Mountain View's game against Yuma Cibola. Tom Joseph, who led Mountain View's football teams to three state final appearances from 2002-06, capturing the title in 2002 and falling to Hamilton in a triple-overtime thriller in 2003, also will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They'll be joined by former football/track standout Clark Brown and former baseball star Nick Shannon.
"The biggest thing we want to do is honor Coach Ernst," said Johnson, a former coach at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada. "All that he did for the community, for the school, for our basketball program, for all of the great alums, all of the thousand of kids who came through his kids camps over the years. Just the standard he set here on how to play the game. Any chance we get we want to honor that."
Mountain View began the Andy Johnson era 6-0, before falling to Sunnyslope 58-51. It went 0-5 in the Visit Mesa Challenge. But since then, the Toros have jelled to perhaps make a run in the state playoffs. They've won their last five games to get to 14-10 beforer Friday's game against 16-7 Cibola. They finish next week against rival Mesa on Tuesday and Mesa Red Mountain Friday, then see where they line up in the 32-team Open. Mountain View currently sits at No. 23 in the Open in the Arizona Interscholastic Association computerized ratings.
"First class guy," Johnson said about Ernst. "Definitely one of the greatest coaches in Arizona history, but, quite honestly, in the United States.
"He's been so good to me. As much as I can, I'd love for him to be around and be a part of it. Every day we want to honor his legacy and honor him and try to live up to the standard that he set here."
Ernst said he's been happy this year helping out Jay Caserio with his Gilbert High program, helping with the freshman team, which is 11-2.
"It's been a good spot," Ernst said. "Jay is a great guy to work with."
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Coaching legend Gary Ernst returns to Mountain View for Hall of Fame induction
