Floyd Andrews remembered as much more than a legendary coach | D'Angelo

WEST PALM BEACH — The slideshow inside the Payne Chapel AME Church on Saturday honored Floyd Andrews' life. One after another, pictures of a man teaching and coaching; being a husband, father, grandfather and devoted friend filled the screens.

But one, in particular, captured the essence of this man whose impact on our community transcended his life as a basketball coach.

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Andrews was 85 when he died Sept. 14 surrounded by his family that included his wife, Annette; children Cedric, Brette, Paula and Tracy; and seven grandchildren. For more than a week, the community has mourned and celebrated the life of a legendary man, a man who during the most divisive times in our history was among those who helped calm tensions and help unite Blacks and whites not only through his coaching but as an educator and compassionate human being.

Andrews' extraordinary life was celebrated Saturday. Family, friends and former players gathered at the church where he worshipped for more than 70 years and is located 1 mile from the predominantly Black high school Andrews attended and then started his lengthy coaching career in Palm Beach County.

While Andrews' greatest coaching accomplishment came at Roosevelt High School in 1968, leading his alma mater to an undefeated season and state championship in the first year Black teams played white teams in the postseason, those moments during his 31 years as a coach were not what defined Floyd Andrews.

Andrews was remembered Saturday for being much more than a coach who won more than 700 games.

"He was a catalyst to bringing people together, all kinds of people," said Lisa Steinhauer of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

"Coach was a father figure," said Keith Highsmith, who played for Andrews' first team at North Shore High School in 1970, the year Palm Beach County schools integrated. "He was a father. He was a coach. He was a mentor. He took me in. He taught me about being a man."

"He was a humble giant," said his longtime friend and neighbor, Edward Vickers. "He had name recognition, he had awards, he won state championships. It didn't go to his head where he thought he was better than anyone else. He didn't walk around with his chest out."

"His footprints are permanently etched throughout the archives of AME Church," said friend Morris Bell.

"I thank you for being my best friend," said his granddaughter, Maiah Andrews.

Floyd Andrews graduated from Florida A&M University, which he attended on a basketball scholarship. At 26, he returned to Roosevelt to teach biology and physical education, and coach the junior varsity basketball team. Three years later, in 1967, Andrews began his head coaching career.

Teaching career lasted longer than coaching career

But Andrews' teaching career outlasted his coaching career as he spent 42 years instructing, mentoring and influencing hundreds of students in Palm Beach County. That coaching career included three state titles and has been recognized by keys to the cities of West Palm Beach and Riviera Beach and membership into the Palm Beach County and Roosevelt High sports halls of fame.

And that career as an educator was celebrated by the Palm Beach County School Board Wednesday with a posthumous proclamation. School Board member Marcia Andrews told the congregation Saturday that the proclamation will be sealed in the board's records for eternity.

"We will miss our beloved coach and teacher," said Andrews, a graduate of Roosevelt who worked with Floyd at the school.

Odell Watson, the pastor at the Payne Chapel AME Church, told the congregation to consider three things Andrews left behind to everyone who knew him.

Discipline

Determination

Destiny

"Floyd Andrews ... was an outstanding coach, but more importantly an outstanding Christian," Watson said. "He won the game of life."

Tom D'Angelo is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at tdangelo@pbpost.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County high school basketball coach Floyd Andrews remembered